Clubland: A

It isn't uncommon for parents to put aside their dreams to create a life for their children, but Clubland is unique in its spin and tone. I'm finding it difficult to write a review of this film because I don't have enough synonyms in my vocabulary for the word 'great' and I fear it will appear too obvious if I use all of the words my thesaurus spits out. This is a tremendous film from the first shot to its compelling ending. Brenda Blethyn gives us yet another performance-of-a-lifetime as a woman who gave up a promising acting career to become a Mom to two sons, one of whom is retarded. Now her boys are grown up and she's finding the idea of the empty nest unbearable--especially considered what she lost to build it in the first place. It's a fascinating study of a relatively "quiet" situation and director Cherie Nowlan masterfully takes us into the psyches and hearts of these characters with a deft combination of humor and drama. We adore these people and we relish in watching them interrelate and do their best at overcoming their flaws and limitations. Everything about this film fits: the pacing, the music, the revelations, the relationships... it's an honest film that knows what it's about and knows what it wants to say. Again, there aren't enough words for 'great'.