Tuesday, May 27, 2008

MOVIE: 21 UP



ABOUT: The Up Series consists of a series of documentary films that have followed the lives of fourteen British children since 1964, when they were seven years old. The children were selected to represent the range of socio-economic backgrounds in Britain at that time, with the explicit assumption that each child's social class predetermines their future. Every seven years, the director, Michael Apted, films new material from as many of the fourteen as he can get to participate. The latest film, 49 Up, was released in September 2005; filming for the next instalment in the series, 56 Up, is expected in late 2011 or early 2012.




MY REVIEW: 7 Up was entertaining, 7 Plus Seven was kind of a bore and now 21 Up is where it starts to get interesting. The lives of these Brits enter into adulthood where most of them are already married, are getting married, poor, doing what they want to do while being happy or single and lonely.

Whats interesting is that most of their parents divorced shortly after they all were 14. It's also interesting to see how the ones who were friends with each other, are not so close anymore and have gone their separate ways, only to reunite for the films. Some quit school and do simple work but wish they could be doing something that they are interested in. Others are still in school and are doing great, mostly the richey rich kids. One is poor but is content. One is kinda lonely and depressed even though he won't admit it.

The one I found the most interesting was Tony, who wanted to be a jockey when he grows up and was for a while but just couldn't make it. So now he works down at the track taking bets and is about to become a cab driver. He is happy with his life and doesn't care what anyone else thinks of him. He doesn't like to compare himself with any of the other people in the series and says what he thinks. He is a free spirit.

The Up series is starting to get interesting like I had predicted and hopefully it continues.



MY CHEESY RATING: 21 Up is up to a 6 out of 10.


BUY "THE UP SERIES" FROM INDIEDOCS.COM FOR $79.99


MY REVIEWS OF SEVEN UP! AND 7 PLUS SEVEN

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