Is Anybody There? (DVD)

Film Only Review ~~~~~~~~~~~ Clarence Parkinson (Michael Caine) is an irritable old man. A travelling performer who practices supernatural magic. He goes by the name of, 'The Amazing Clarence,' and travels around the countryside in the rain in a dilapidated camper van painted like a circus truck. Clarence eventually arrives at an old folks retirement home and immediately wishes he could hide or move on. The home, Lark Hall, is a broken-down seaside residence which has been converted by its preoccupied owners (Ann Marie Duff and David Morrissey). The house is full of oddballs in various states of decline, and Clarence, fighting to ...  Read the complete review

With 'Harry Brown' doing great box-office right now with a rare countrywide release for the icon that is Sir Michael Caine, the chances to see one of Britain's finest actors are sadly few and far between as Maurice Micklewhite`s 80th birthday rumbles ever closer. His performance in the above is getting rave reviews but Caine sadly restricted to playing these rebellious old farts in pretty much every movie he gets offered these days, 'Is Anybody There', no different. Gallant Michael says he does them because they are great scripts and he likes to pass on some tricks of the trade and wisdom to young actors on set to help them along in the business. I suspect that these and ...  Read the complete review

Edward is a twelve year old boy with a fascination for death and afterlife. He certainly lives in the right place for it - an old people's home in 1980's England. One day an ageing magician named Clarence turns up to stay. An unlikely bond develops between the two as they share their lives together along with Mum and Dad and a few old folks. Michael Caine was absolutely fantastic in this film as the going senile Clarence. It was a totally believable performance and addressed many issues around old age and the passing on of wisdom. When Caine cries it is usually quite a funny kind of laughing/crying, here it is a much more believable emotion that comes ...  Read the complete review

Michael Caine is probably one of the best knon British movie actors and definitely one of the best ever and he is still churning out quality films as he enters his eight decade on this decaying planet. In this film Caine plays the character of Clarence who is a washed up magician in the twilight of his career, a widower he is facing a future in a retirement home and he is not best pleased atthe prospect and his life is at a low ebb. He soon however starts to make friends in the form of Edward played by William Millner who is the son of the people who run the retirement home. The parents are played by Anne Marie Duff and David Morrisey. Edward who is an only ...  Read the complete review

John Crowley directs this light drama film IS ANYBODY THERE? The film centres on retired magician Clarence played by Michael Caine. After many years of performance Clarence is sent to an old people's home with David Morrissey and Anne-Marie Duff's characters as the owners. Their son Edward played by Bill Milner has no friends who hates the old people's home because lots of people die in there. Edward is scared of death because he is surrounded by it. Clarence despisesthe home until he meets Bill and the young boy and old grumpy man become unlikely friends. Clarence teaches Edward that life is to be lived and they rely on each other to keep going. From ...  Read the complete review