Papadopoulos & Sons

source: Papadopoulos & Sons

Enjoyed this a lot. Almost eerie the way it's nailed the zeitgeist - from what I can gather the director penned the script, which charts the downfall of an Anglo- Greek businessman who reopens the old family fish and chip shop to repay his creditors, before Greece was engulfed by the current debt crisis. Great acting, tight script and some good jokes, notably the one satirising the snobbery between Greeks and Turks as well as the snobbery about unfashionable businesses like kebab shops. Stephen Dillane was unknown to me before I'd seen this, but the man whose Hamlet was hailed as among the 10 best (http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2008/jul/31/theatre.shakespeare) - and there were many from which to choose! - is clearly a talented actor. His punctured ego is well conveyed - subtle yet palpable - and the rest of the cast do a sterling job too.

What a funny warm hearted film. I laughed, shed a tear and was thoroughly entertained. I can't wait for Papadopoulos & Sons release. I watch a lot of blockbusters and rarely indie films, this was a lovely surprise to see such a well made and enjoyable indie movie. Stephen Dillane is absolutely wonderful and surprisingly very funny. I have the pleasure of working with Marcus everyday and I was lucky enough to read the script before production and watch the making of Papadopoulos & Sons from start to finish. I remember reading the script on my way to work in the train and found myself overwhelmed with emotion and I completely forgot where I was. Some parts I was laughing so loud until I noticed stares from fellow commuters as well as having tears rolling down my cheeks and thinking to myself get a hold of yourself man, you are in public. From script to screen, there was no disappointment, it was as I had imagined it in my head as I read the script in train. Papadopoulos & Sons am must see film.

This film is a classic case of a director at work who does not know how to direct. Dialogue awful. Acting poor. Plot ridiculous. A comedy requires humour and timing, both of which were sorely lacking. Too many scenes were simply too long. The plot line was absurd with reputable actors struggling to deliver awful dialogue, failing to make it convincing. A complete waste of almost two hours of my life. I can only advise: do not consider for a moment that this awful excuse for entertainment is worth watching... it is not!

Well, what can I say that's positive about this film? Sadly, the answer is "nothing": Poor acting, terrible casting, a pedestrian and obvious plot - even the music was pretty awful versions of some well-loved Greek songs. I really, really wanted to like it, maybe because I foolishly dismissed the critical voices here as being biased, but there really isn't anything TO like. I am Greek myself, so I was looking forward to a wry treatment of the way we perceive the world but no such luck. This is truly one of the most pointless and abysmal movies I've ever seen. As someone else here said: if you're looking for a "Big Fat Greek Wedding" peep into the life and psyche of Greeks in England then you're going to be very disappointed and even more so if you're hoping for a pleasurable way to while away an evening.

At a time when we continue to dig ourselves out from the financial and economic bubbles of the financial crisis, Papdopoulos and Sons reminds us that there is nothing stronger than the bond of a family and hope to help carry us through not only the worst but all times. Marcus Markou has developed a film that will resonate with US audiences and I hope gains distribution here so that many others may share in this delightful, heart-warming production. I was fortunate enough to catch the film on an EVA Airways transpacific flight last month. I recently learned that the film will be screened at the Palm Springs film festival so I do hope it gets picked up.

For those who want more from Stephen Dillane than seeing him in supporting TV roles as in John Adams, Hunted, Secret State and Game of Thrones, this is the film to pick. Papadopolous and Sons' story can be told in less than a minute. It may neither have the most original conflict nor a remarkable solution. (Of becoming poor it only shows the more beautiful aspects.) But there's something organic in the writing and the acting that makes you smile and not care about it. It's life! And it feels like life. P&S shows Mr Dillane's qualities more than anything else that I've recently seen. This may be due to his unpredictability in acting. I don't know any other actor who so much doesn't look like "acting". And on a leading role this talent even thrives. Thankfully P&S also provides us with Frank Dillane in his first bigger role after Harry Potter's Tom Riddle moment. A very promising debut from writer/director Marcus Markou.

Greetings again from the darkness. There is always a risk in stamping a movie with a particular label ... "Greek" in this case. It can limit the audience to which it appeals, if there are too many in-jokes or cultural references. Writer/director Marcus Markou offers up a terrific little story that most can enjoy. It's certainly not at the level of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", but it's charming and entertaining enough. Stephen Dillane stars as Harry, a self-made millionaire who loses everything during a financial market collapse. You will recognize Mr. Dillane as Thomas Jefferson from the HBO mini-series "John Adams". Here he plays a single dad to 3 kids: a stuttering plant loving son, a pop star-wannabe teenager daughter, and nerdy young son with a penchant for picking stock trends. Joining them is screen veteran Selina Cadell as the housekeeper/nanny. The crisis sends the family back into the life of Harry's brother Spiros, and they proceed to re-build the old family business ... Three Brother Fish & Chips. Sure, it's a formulaic story, but the characters are interesting enough and Uncle Spiros is so full of life and spirit that he can't help but get you excited for this second chance. Watching the family re-connect with each other and their past is not just pleasant, but also well presented. Mr. Dillane is wonderful as the uppity millionaire type, however, when he gives his hospital soliloquy regarding never feeling "so alive", I do wish we had actually seen more proof of that. While I most enjoyed the interactions between Harry and Spiros, the two musical/photo medleys seemed to interfere with the flow ... rather than shortcuts, they proved a bit annoying. However, it's always refreshing to see a movie where a family bonds together, and puts the past where it belongs.

I have just had the misfortune to watch this, how it got green lit I have no idea, it is stilted beyond belief and ham acted over an awful or even woeful script. I would not say a bad word about the actors as it has to be the editor, director and writers fault... But mainly the Producers for green lighting. The only saving grace was some good music and some well shot scenes. But that's it... At 109 minutes, you feel every single one of them. It's pacing is unbelievably slow and laboured. Once again back to the above - with pauses longer than a Chekov play and as a consequence render the opportunity for comedy impossible.

I was invited to a preview screening of Papadopoulos & Sons and went without any expectations one way or the other. The narrative is deceptively simple but hides a surprising number of subtexts that reveal themselves through the compact running time. One one level, it's a straightforward recession era story of a family's struggle in dramatically reduced economic circumstances. The Greek diaspora background adds poignancy given that country's particularly fragile position within the economic crisis, but also adds a more mythological framework as a particularly ancient Greek style familial tragicomedy plays out with an onlooking comic chorus of London types from Kebab shop owners to asset stripping loss adjusters. Deep down it is a warm hearted and unashamedly sentimental British family drama, albeit distinctively shot through with a Mediterranean sense of fable. A likable ensemble cast and an unobtrusive camera guide you through with a smile on your face.