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United Kingdom · 2006
2h 15m
Director Michael Apted
Starring Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield
Genre Documentary
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49 Up is the seventh film in a series of landmark documentaries that began 42 years ago when UK-based Granada's World in Action team, inspired by the Jesuit maxim "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man," interviewed a diverse group of seven-year-old children from all over England, asking them about their lives and their dreams for the future. Michael Apted, a researcher for the original film, has returned to interview the "children" every seven years since, at ages 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and now again at age 49.In this latest chapter, more life-changing decisions are revealed, more shocking announcements made and more of the original group take part than ever before, speaking out on a variety of subjects including love, marriage, career, class and prejudice.
We hate to say it, but we can't find anywhere to view this film.
The New York Times by A.O. Scott
Suzy's marriage, Nick's divorce, Paul's work history: none of it is my or anyone else's business. But these things -- these people -- have become, through Mr. Apted's films, a vital part of modern life, which seems to grow richer every seven years, when the new "Up" movie comes out.
The latest riveting, heartbreaking chapter to one of the supreme creations of documentary filmmaking, the "7 Up" series.
Los Angeles Times by Carina Chocano
49 Up is more than a deeply satisfying movie; it's a reminder of the wonder contained in ordinary lives.
Washington Post by Desson Thomson
The more you watch, the more you are committing yourself to watching "56 Up" and beyond.
It doesn't make for involving drama, unless the audience is already invested in the subjects' fortunes. Thus, 49 Up will have more appeal for long-time followers than newcomers.
Their pain is our pleasure, for though occasionally Apted's bluntness makes you want to take a bite out of his neck, there's something immensely satisfying about watching the playing out of ordinary lives we've become attached to over time.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
49 Up is a precious document, and must viewing.
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
Moving and ambitious in scale like nothing else in cinema, Michael Apted's Up films began in 1964 as a BBC news program exploring an old Jesuit maxim: "Give me the child until he is seven, and I will show you the man."
While all the "Up" films hold a fascination akin to a Christmas letter from an almost-forgotten friend, 42 Up didn't show much progress from "35 Up." Even fans of the series had to wonder whether the faces of England were going to remain permanently frozen.
Christian Science Monitor by Peter Rainer
The passage of time has rarely been more forcefully conveyed in a movie, as we see clips of the interviewees not only from today but also at seven-year intervals from the past.
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