Lewis Gilbert directs Julie Walters, Michael Caine and Michael Williams in this romance where an alcoholic literature professor is revitalised by his working class Open University student.

An ode to self improvement and second acts in life’s lived. Willy Russell’s witty and sensitive play is expanded successfully into a charming slice of cinema. Walters makes a blistering big screen debut – you genuinely fall in love with her straight talking hairdresser. Caine also takes some nice risks in a very generous effort. The prevailing attitude that he almost threw his career away with greedy choices in the Eighties is proven a nonsense by his acting here and in Hannah And Her Sisters. The ending is wonderfully uplifting even if it is bittersweet. Liverpool is played by Dublin for tax dodging reasons by Gilbert and his Alfie.

8

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