Search - Belonging on DVD

Brenda Blethyn is a class act

the People | Texas | 07/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Brenda Blethyn's understated performance is amazing as a woman who goes through the shocking ordeal of being unexpectedly abandoned by her husband when it seemed the marriage was idyllic. The emotions she goes through, from the initial confusion when her husband doesn't return home one night, to the worry over the next couple of days, to the shock when told he was seen with another woman, to the anger and grief when he confesses to her...and then to eventual acceptance at the end is all very convincing from this great actress. As her husband leaves her to care for HIS three aging relatives (mother, great-aunt and cousin)she does it all without the slightest complaint...in fact it's something she's always enjoyed doing, but the fact that she's now given no choice in the matter adds to her turmoil of emotions. Through it all, she handles everything with a grace and dignity that not many people would be capable of, even going as far as having her husband, his younger girlfriend and her two children over for tea. There are several interesting scenes that indicate she's at least thought of some alternatives ways of dealing with everything...thoughts of getting rid of the "oldies" as they're called, and even thoughts of suicide. But, as most of us would do, she presses on day by day, waiting to see if she'll ever be able to accept and move on. This was a simple and understated film that's definitely worth a couple of hours of your time."