Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • 3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)
    • 3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)
    • 3625. Ode To Joy (2019)
    • 3624. One Chance (2013)
    • 3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)
    • 3622. The Polka King (2017)
    • 3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)
    • 3620. Friendzone (2021)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»3092. Hope Gap (2020)

    3092. Hope Gap (2020)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on September 17, 2020 100-109 mins, 2020, 6 - 7.9, Drama, Movies Of 2020, Review, Romance, Sep 20, United Kingdom
    7.6 Uncompromising
    • Acting 7.7
    • Directing 7.5
    • Story 7.5
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Annette Bening, Bill Nighy, Josh O’Connor

    Director: William Nicholson

    Running Time: 100 mins


    Hope Gap is a British film about a woman whose husband of 29 years suddenly leaves her, forcing her to cope with a future without him and reevaluate her life.

    A gripping marital drama it undoubtedly is, but there’s something more to Hope Gap than pure relationship intrigue. With a powerhouse lead performance by Annette Bening and brilliant turns from Bill Nighy and Josh O’Connor, this film opens up an eye-opening and emotionally staggering perspective on emotional trauma, and the horror of dealing with it and trying to find a way forward in life.

    For the best part of the film’s first act, things play out as a more standard marital drama, as we see Bening and Nighy’s long-standing relationship on the rocks as their characters clash. At times, Hope Gap can tend a little towards the melodramatic in its opening stages, which is strange given the film’s small scale in location and production, though it certainly still proves a gripping watch from the start.

    However, where this film really impresses is the way in which it shows the true challenge of dealing with emotional pain in the immediate aftermath of trauma. After her husband leaves her out of the blue, Annette Bening’s character is forced to confront life in the years ahead, yet without the motivation, passion and happiness that she had before.

    The depth of her pain is evident from the very moment Bill Nighy walks out the door, and Bening does a fantastic job at portraying that hurt in a measured and accessible manner, brilliantly externalising what the film shows is a very internal process of recovering from a moment of trauma.

    However, more than purely a story about recovery, Hope Gap is a film that isn’t afraid to shy away from the darkest depths of the human mind, as we see Bening’s character pushed to the edge when she feels as if there is no light at the end of her tunnel.

    It may seem like a melodramatic way to put things, but the point that Hope Gap makes is that people have a devastating capacity to take themselves to the end far sooner than is really the case, and that helping others to deal with that pain is incredibly important.

    The film is uncompromising in its dramatic intensity in the second half, and Annette Bening’s performance is both understated and staggeringly powerful, bringing the true gravity of the film’s message to light in incredible fashion.

    Coupled with heartfelt family drama, appropriately dark humour and elegant production, Hope Gap is a film full of riveting contrasts, but they’re contrasts that make for a fascinating and uniquely affecting story. So, that’s why I’m giving the film a 7.6 overall.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. Since January 1st, 2013, he has watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    7.1

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    5.3
    January 17, 2022

    3620. Friendzone (2021)

    7.1
    January 10, 2022

    3612. The Lost Daughter (2021)

    8.0
    January 7, 2022

    3609. Licorice Pizza (2021)

    7.2
    January 7, 2022

    3608. Lamb (2021)

    7.4
    December 30, 2021

    3599. The King’s Man (2021)

    6.3
    December 29, 2021

    3598. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

    8.4
    December 28, 2021

    3597. West Side Story (2021)

    6.3
    December 27, 2021

    3596. Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

    Recommended Movies
    8.0
    Review
    October 27, 20170

    1934. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

    9.5
    Review
    August 24, 20150

    1067. Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (2015)

    8.3
    Review
    April 26, 20150

    940. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter… And Spring (봄 여름 가을 겨울 그리고 봄) (2003)

    8.0
    Review
    March 25, 20200

    2899. Chasing Amy (1997)

    8.3
    Review
    February 21, 20150

    865. Rebecca (1940)

    Popular Posts
    7.1
    January 24, 2022

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8
    January 23, 2022

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9
    January 22, 2022

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    7.4
    January 21, 2022

    3624. One Chance (2013)

    6.3
    January 20, 2022

    3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)

    7.5
    January 19, 2022

    3622. The Polka King (2017)

    6.0
    January 18, 2022

    3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)

    © 2022 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.