100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 57: What We Did On Our Holiday

Director: Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Rosamund Pike, David Tennant, Billy Connolly, Ben Miller, Celia Imrie, Amelia Bullmore, Bobby Smalldridge, Harriet Turnbull, Annette Crosbie, Lewis Davie, Ralph Riach, Ron Donachie

Description: Doug and Abi (David Tennant, Rosamund Pike) take their kids on a family vacation. Surrounded by relatives, the kids innocently reveal the ins and outs of their family life and many intimate details about their parents. It's soon clear that when it comes to keeping a big secret under wraps from the rest of the family, their children are their biggest liability... Find out how the rest of the family cope and see if the holiday will ever end.

Review: Gordie McLeod doesn’t hide that he has terminal cancer. His grandchildren aren’t supposed to know, but Gordie thinks they are old and wise enough to know the truth. These moral opposition are the most important theme of the film. “What We Did On Our Holiday” is a loveable family comedy, sort of the British answer to the American Indie “Little Miss Sunshine”. A dysfunctional family always works in a film.
Gordie is waiting for his death in Scotland. His two sons want to throw him a big 75th birthday party. With their wives and children, they travel to see him. But both sons have some troubles at home their selves.
It doesn’t sound like a comedy, but the jokes are perfect. And the fact that this dark theme doesn’t overshadow it all, is because we see it all through the eyes Doug and Abi’s kids. This is British comedy mixed with a little drama, the way I love it. The moral is not shoved in your face and the humor is sharp and not too subtle.
David Tennant, Rosamund Pike and Billy Connolly are all amazing. But it’s probably the three kids that steal the show.
I had never heard of this film before I saw it and that’s such a shame. This means that a lot of people won’t see it. Please, if you love Indie films and British humor, check out “What We Did On Our Holiday”. It’s a hidden gem.

Rating: 5/ 5