Ordinary Love

Peter McGinn

I will usually give anything a try that features Lesley Manville, and in this film I also like Liam Neeson, so that was a bonus. This is a good, solid film in my opinion. Not earth-shattering, but well-written with two strong leads. Both Neeson and Manville seemed like normal folks to me, believable as a couple. There are no melodramatic tantrums or gushing tears and emotion. There were flare-ups of temper, as you expect in a long-term relationship when two people feel enough love and security to occasionally say mean things to each other. When Neeson’s husband struck up a conversation with the partner of another patient his wife had spoken to, it reminded me a little of that excellent movie The Doctor, with William Hurt. The plots are wildly different, but the feel of someone spending time with a person who is going through an experience even worse than his felt believable. The supporting cast did a credible job, but this was really a two-person show. Fortunately the co-starts were up to it.