There’s no smaltz here – just the kind of truisms that explore the life-long parent/child tussle; the one that makes Philip Larkin’s token phrase such a great cliché.
Colin Firth takes the mantle of author Blake Morrison, on whose book the film is based, seething at his father Jim Broadbent’s demise from cancer, and collating a montage of memories which trigger anger, resentment and ambivalence.
His sense of self and how parents and children reflect each other remains uncompromised by sentimentality, and this is what sets the film apart. Like life itself, Firth’s reconciliation is neither straightforward nor clear cut.
Director Anand Tucker’s is a revelation. His use of reflection and mirrors throughout, adding layer upon layer, is fantastic – a clear indication of the psychological multidimensionality of watching a parent die.
And When Did You Last See Your Father is an intensely beautiful and brave film that confronts the grim logistics of death – both practical and emotional – with great humour and frankness.
