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United Kingdom, Germany · 2012
Rated PG-13 · 1h 33m
Director Paul Andrew Williams
Starring Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston
Genre Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance
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Arthur, a curmudgeonly old soul, is perfectly content with sticking with his dull daily routine until his wife introduces him to a local singing group. The choir is led by the youthful and charming Elizabeth, whose unexpected friendship with Arthur reignites his passion for new adventures.
Unfinished Song is basically two movies inelegantly stuffed into one. Both are about aging — its setbacks and second chances — but only one of them feels like an honest exploration of the topic. The better half of the film is a kinder, gentler cousin to 2012’s "Amour."
How the geriatric ensemble dramedy became the last bastion of British cinema is a bit of a riddle, but like Cadbury Creme Eggs and Manchester soul, it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
Shamelessly manipulative, it's a highly effective if not very good film, its success entirely due to the talents of its cast. They bring heart to a script that is unabashedly about pushing buttons.
The Playlist by Kevin Jagernauth
Comparatively simplistic and somewhat lazy, Unfinished Song presents one-dimensional characters in a thoroughly predictable story that aspires to be little more than easily digestible.
It’s not exactly giving away anything to reveal that Stamp also sings three numbers in Unfinished Song — the last one so stirring that you should bring at least one box of Kleenex.
Rolling Stone by Peter Travers
Stamp's award-caliber performance as a closed-off man on the brink of turning into stone is a miracle of subtlety and feeling. This is acting of the highest order. Redgrave partners him superbly, bringing warmth and nurturing humor to a role she refuses to play for easy tears.
Slant Magazine by R. Kurt Osenlund
Part end-of-life romance, part grossly manipulative mush, the film tries to stare grief and mortality in the face while practically shitting rainbows.
Unfinished Song moves too slowly for its own good (mourning is doubly taxing in a country where it’s always raining), but it’s a great showcase for Terence Stamp.
Los Angeles Times by Robert Abele
Unfinished Song is a movie so geared toward hitting its spots, it amounts to emotional Muzak rather than something truly played live.
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
The movie, originally titled “Song for Marion,” has more emotional clout than you might reasonably expect from a piece of inspirational hokum.
A futuristic comic feast.
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