My Family and Other Animals (2005) (TV)

Director:

Sheree Folkson

Writers:

Gerald Durrell (book)
Simon Nye (written by)

Release Date:

27 December 2005 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

An English family relocates to sunny Greece in the months before WWII.

Plot Keywords:

Corfu | Naturalist | Greek Island | Eccentricity | Turtle

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Imelda Staunton	...	Mother
Chris Langham	...	Theodore Stephanides
Omid Djalili	...	Spiro
Matthew Goode	...	Larry Durrell
Russell Tovey	...	Leslie Durrell
Tamzin Merchant	...	Margot Durrell
Eugene Simon	...	Gerald Durrell
Kostas Tziotakis	...	Customs Officer
Mihalis Giannatos	...	Porter / Waiter (as Michalis Giannatos)
Olga Tournaki	...	Agathi
Dimitris Kaberidis	...	Rose-Beetle Man
David Armand	...	George
Antonis Antoniou	...	Yani
George Couyas	...	Turkish Boyfriend
Efi Papatheodorou	...	Lugaretsia

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Corfu, Greece

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Larry Durrell: Why do we put up with this bloody climate? I mean, look at us: Gerry can't speak,
Gerald Durrell: Uh?
Larry Durrell: Lesley can't hear.
Leslie Durrell: What?
Larry Durrell: Margot's got a face like a plate of red porridge.
Margot Durrell: Shut up.
Larry Durrell: Mother's beginning to look like an Irish washerwoman.
Mother: I am not.
Larry Durrell: It's August. We need sunshine.
[...]

Hysterical! Absolutely the funniest movie I've seen in decades.

The Brits really know how to do it right! This is the absolute funniest thing I've seen in decades. I was busting out laughing constantly throughout the film; and I enjoyed it so much I watched it again the next day, still in awe of its perfection, and still constantly amused to the point of complete hilarity.

Acting: Perfect. Imelda Staunton will throw you with how funny she is; the other actors/characters, especially Gerry's literary brother Larry, are equally as hilarious. Plenty of absurdist, priceless interactions between all of the nutty family members, and between the family and their odd entourage of wacky friends and inscrutable Greeks.

Script: Incredible. Flawless. Word perfect. This finely honed script from Gerald Durrell's witty and extremely well-written memoir is another stunning example of how "the Brits do it better."

Plot: Who could think up a better one (and it's a true story no less!)? Loony, dysfunctional, fog-and-chill-crazed Brits move to a sunny, backward Greek island and mayhem ensues. Hilarious. Lots of odd twists and turns.

Cinematography: Breathtaking. Gerald Durrell was a world-famous zoologist, whose passion for nature and animals began with this move to Corfu. Nature is revealed in all of her fascinating, gorgeous mystery in this film's meticulous cinematography. Delightful! Beautiful! Oh, to be a child again and roam the leafy, creature-laden wilds and beautiful beaches of Corfu.

Music: Bust-a-gut funny. It compliments the movie like wine compliments the perfect dinner.

Main takeaway: This film is HILARIOUS. There is not a single character who is not memorably bizarre.

Don't miss this film if you like absolute quality entertainment, and want to laugh throughout the entire course of a film. It's clever and witty and cheeky beyond measure. And the best part is that it's true. Bless Gerry Durrell -- he's made a whole peck of people supremely happy!