ianlouisiana Review of Peter's Friends

Peter's Friends (1992)

A "Footlights" reunion that is perhaps a tad incestuous..........

[7/10 · 21 December 2005]

Peter's friends have that veneer of Cambridge charm and sophistication that vanishes fairly rapidly unless they are allowed their own way all the time.Peter himself is a little more personable,but the unfortunate chap is suffering from Aids and not long for this world.On inheriting the family home from his father(actually Wrotham Park in Herts,also used in "Gosford Park"),Peter asks all his "Footlights" chums for a last get together.But ten years on,they are all carrying a lot of baggage.There is not innately an awful lot wrong with this movie and it says a lot for Kenneth Branagh's strength of character that he went on from directing this "safe" subject to the rather more challenging "Hamlet" and "Much ado about nothing" with splendid success Stephen Fry is the most sympathetic character character in the film ,all the others are fighting mental demons of one sort or the other whilst Peter has the sublime aura of peace that sometimes settles on the tragically doomed. At the start of the movie Peter's friends gather round the piano and sing"The way you look tonight" very nicely.This scene captures the insular but rather naive and touching mutual love and dependence Cambridge Thesps display throughout their careers. Despite life's vicissitudes,a decade later it has been strong enough to bring them to Peter's house without the knowledge of his fatal illness. Mr Tony Slattery is perhaps moving in rather fast company,but otherwise this is a an ensemble piece of glowing talent.Miss Emma Thompson is particularly fine as an emotionally fragile lonely woman. To some it may seem a little precious and self - obsessed,but then University Am Dram is a little precious and self - obsessed.If you accept that caveat there is a lot to be enjoyed here.