Member review

On the 21st of February, I watched in amazement: Goodnight Mr Tom. There were various, major fabulous points and no obvious drawbacks . I write, in enjoyment, my review.

Firstly, this outstanding film had a complex plot, based on the novel by Michelle Magorian published in March, 1981. The idea was brilliant and intriguing - a young boy, William Beech, was evacuated from London during the Blitz and was sent to live with a grumpy old bloke called Tom Oakley in a little countryside village. The rest of the film was about the bond of friendship and love between William and Tom who must overcome lots of dangers and obstacles.

The cast obviously put an extreme amount of effort and oomph into this masterpiece. The actors were perfect; especially Annabelle Apsion - who played Mrs Beech, William’s mother, with bloodcurdling brutality. Most of the film was tense and dramatic - along with gentle, emotional parts charting the development of the main characters. I found it interesting because it helped me see what life was like for some evacuees.

Though it had rather many advantages, it had minimal drawbacks. Some parts dragged on too long or repeated themselves too many times - the hospital part, when the camera zoomed over London in the Blitz and William’s nightmare.

Overall, this film was a brilliantly good film and I would like to watch it again, probably staring in awe. I really hoped you liked it.

Arron Lansdale, Year 6.