I love this movie not just because it was moving but because it was funny too. Its about a girl named Claire who moves to London with her boyfriend. He then dumps her and abandons her all alone in a new city. She applies for a job but ends up getting sick during the interview. A charming and kind guy helps her get a small job in a company where she applied. They soon become an item and fall in love. However, Claire then discovers she is pregnant with her ex boyfriends baby. She ends up telling her current boyfriend that its his baby. The couple set about making a new home for the little baby. Unfortently the truth comes out and he dumps her... Welli don't want to give the rest away but needless to say it is just as exciting and confusing in second part. This film is one of My all time favorites. I would strongly recommend watching this, Even if you don't like soppy chick flicks. Anna friel is supported with a strong cast full if witty and slightly crazy Characters.
13 Reviews
Patronising script highlights Friel's lack of talent.
adrianh000122 April 2003
Anna Friel plays an embarrassingly stupid Dublin girl who jets off to London with her boyfriend for a job that's really just a job interview. The interview ends disastrously, she's dumped by the boyfriend and then, literally, bumps into one of the interviewers who (and who'd have guessed) just happens to fancy her.
Find herself pregnant by her previous boyfriend, she cons the new guy into believing he's the father. As the birth is earlier than expected, he realises what's been going on, walks out on her and she returns to Dublin.
Reconciliation with the father fails when the English boyfriend turns up and it all ends in a highly unbelievable lovey-dovey get-back-together at the airport.
This really is very much a "made-for-ITV" film: catering for the lowest common denominator in their target audience (i.e. try not to make the people think too much about what they're watching).
Friel's Oirish accent is passable and, of course, she gets her clothes off (it must have taken some time to get those nipples peeking out of the bubble bath by just the right amount).
Altogether, don't waste your time watching this if it should ever be repeated.
Find herself pregnant by her previous boyfriend, she cons the new guy into believing he's the father. As the birth is earlier than expected, he realises what's been going on, walks out on her and she returns to Dublin.
Reconciliation with the father fails when the English boyfriend turns up and it all ends in a highly unbelievable lovey-dovey get-back-together at the airport.
This really is very much a "made-for-ITV" film: catering for the lowest common denominator in their target audience (i.e. try not to make the people think too much about what they're watching).
Friel's Oirish accent is passable and, of course, she gets her clothes off (it must have taken some time to get those nipples peeking out of the bubble bath by just the right amount).
Altogether, don't waste your time watching this if it should ever be repeated.
Calling all fans of the novel
SuzLouA2 September 2003
I'll be brief.
I'm a huge Marian Keyes fan. I'd read her grocery list if she'd let me. I own everything she's got in print and I love them all (especially her collection of journalism, Under The Duvet - I suggest you get it if you're reading this), and read them over and over again.
Watermelon is one of my favourites. (well, that and Lucy Sullivan and Sushi for Beginners) The book is hilarious, touching, and unsentimental despite the subject matter. The TV adaptation shares these things in common with the book: 1. The protagonist is called Claire. 2. The love interests are Adam and James. 3. Claire has a baby.
That's it. That's all they have in common. The TV has a completely different ending, and a completely different plot.
THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE BOOK AND LOVED IT: For Christ's sake don't watch this. It's beyond awful and will make you sad for the "real" Claire Walsh. (Not to mention Rachel and Maggie from Rachel's Holiday and Angels by association)
THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THE TV ADAPTATION AND HATED IT: Please, please, PLEASE read the book. It's beyond fantastic and very very funny. It will reaffirm your faith in humanity, which has probably been destroyed after watching this piece of trash.
I'm a huge Marian Keyes fan. I'd read her grocery list if she'd let me. I own everything she's got in print and I love them all (especially her collection of journalism, Under The Duvet - I suggest you get it if you're reading this), and read them over and over again.
Watermelon is one of my favourites. (well, that and Lucy Sullivan and Sushi for Beginners) The book is hilarious, touching, and unsentimental despite the subject matter. The TV adaptation shares these things in common with the book: 1. The protagonist is called Claire. 2. The love interests are Adam and James. 3. Claire has a baby.
That's it. That's all they have in common. The TV has a completely different ending, and a completely different plot.
THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE BOOK AND LOVED IT: For Christ's sake don't watch this. It's beyond awful and will make you sad for the "real" Claire Walsh. (Not to mention Rachel and Maggie from Rachel's Holiday and Angels by association)
THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THE TV ADAPTATION AND HATED IT: Please, please, PLEASE read the book. It's beyond fantastic and very very funny. It will reaffirm your faith in humanity, which has probably been destroyed after watching this piece of trash.
Please don't watch this movie.
sunniva_j_897 September 2005
Awful awful awful film, ruining the great book! I know that some people think it's -such- a funny and sweet flick, but most people don't. And, maybe some of the reason is that they've read the book like me. The book is brilliant! If you have the choice between the book and the film; BOOK. It doesn't help that the movie is so bad, even if you haven't read the book. In the beginning the film says: based on the book by Marian Keyes. Well, it's based very loosely. Very. Anna Friel was also just to fresh looking, when she felt awful after having her baby it lasted for a day, and just... I'm mad. Please, everybody, read the book instead!
Awesomely bad Anna Friel "Vehicle" *SPOILERS*
richard_wright17 April 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Now let me just say this made-for-British-TV so-called comedy drama is not worth commenting on, let alone watching but for the benefit of anyone thinking of suffering through it, I will write a few lines but be as brief as I can so I can purge all memories of it and get on with my life. Here goes:
Plot: The most irritating Irish girl in the world moves to London with her boyfriend after her graduation. She tries to get a job, but after embarrassing herself in an interview by vomiting all over some fish (don't ask) the best she can manage is a position as head photocopier. After her partner leaves her far later than most sane men would, she hitches up with some weirdo from her office, gets pregnant from him then finds herself in a bit of a pickle when her ex returns. Oooh 'eck!! Hilarity (allegably) ensues.
Things I like about it: You are kidding right? Even the accents were awful.
Things I don't like about it: How long have you got? OK seeing as I'm struck for time, I'll just say 5.
1. The endless monologues to the camera (a'la Shirley Valentine) were not only not funny or interesting, but they brought the plot to a crashing halt.
2. Suffer from motion sickness? Don't watch this. (In fact, don't watch it anyway) During one musical montage, the camera spins round London at night with the lights going on and off and people rushing around our heroine at light speed as she does her work. What is the point of putting that scene in here?! I haven't a clue. Maybe so the director could show what a clever boy he is.
3. Mind numbingly predictable doesn't even begin to describe this. Near the start, our lad and lass are on the aeroplane bound for London and are feeling a tad frisky. What do they do in the bathroom? You guessed it! Later on, our female protaganist spends all of 5 minutes practicing a speech to her beloved about how sorry she is for putting him through so much trouble and that she really loves him, and when she gets back to her flat, will he be there? What do you think? And see that nice boy that walked her home who's just leaving, when she calls him back what manner of revenge has she got in mind? BINGO!! And finally, who will she end up with in the last 5 minutes of the programme, her brusque violent psychopath of a Irish boyfriend, or the nice, polite foppish British lad who she had a one night stand with and is the father of her baby? Hmm.. can I phone a friend?!
4. So many better actors here than Anna Friel, yet they are stuck here playing supporting roles to her in a showcase for her dubious "talents." If I were them, I'd get sick of playing second banana to vacuous star names and hire me a better agent.
5. The ending. Gag. Pass me a sick bag. And there was me thinking only American films could be this cloyingly sentimental. Boy was I wrong..
And there you have it. 5 reasons (plus many more that I couldn't be bothered to list) to better your life significantly by avoiding this pile of old trousers like the proverbial plague. Don't make the same mistake I did. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some scrubbing to do. I feel unclean all of a sudden..
Plot: The most irritating Irish girl in the world moves to London with her boyfriend after her graduation. She tries to get a job, but after embarrassing herself in an interview by vomiting all over some fish (don't ask) the best she can manage is a position as head photocopier. After her partner leaves her far later than most sane men would, she hitches up with some weirdo from her office, gets pregnant from him then finds herself in a bit of a pickle when her ex returns. Oooh 'eck!! Hilarity (allegably) ensues.
Things I like about it: You are kidding right? Even the accents were awful.
Things I don't like about it: How long have you got? OK seeing as I'm struck for time, I'll just say 5.
1. The endless monologues to the camera (a'la Shirley Valentine) were not only not funny or interesting, but they brought the plot to a crashing halt.
2. Suffer from motion sickness? Don't watch this. (In fact, don't watch it anyway) During one musical montage, the camera spins round London at night with the lights going on and off and people rushing around our heroine at light speed as she does her work. What is the point of putting that scene in here?! I haven't a clue. Maybe so the director could show what a clever boy he is.
3. Mind numbingly predictable doesn't even begin to describe this. Near the start, our lad and lass are on the aeroplane bound for London and are feeling a tad frisky. What do they do in the bathroom? You guessed it! Later on, our female protaganist spends all of 5 minutes practicing a speech to her beloved about how sorry she is for putting him through so much trouble and that she really loves him, and when she gets back to her flat, will he be there? What do you think? And see that nice boy that walked her home who's just leaving, when she calls him back what manner of revenge has she got in mind? BINGO!! And finally, who will she end up with in the last 5 minutes of the programme, her brusque violent psychopath of a Irish boyfriend, or the nice, polite foppish British lad who she had a one night stand with and is the father of her baby? Hmm.. can I phone a friend?!
4. So many better actors here than Anna Friel, yet they are stuck here playing supporting roles to her in a showcase for her dubious "talents." If I were them, I'd get sick of playing second banana to vacuous star names and hire me a better agent.
5. The ending. Gag. Pass me a sick bag. And there was me thinking only American films could be this cloyingly sentimental. Boy was I wrong..
And there you have it. 5 reasons (plus many more that I couldn't be bothered to list) to better your life significantly by avoiding this pile of old trousers like the proverbial plague. Don't make the same mistake I did. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some scrubbing to do. I feel unclean all of a sudden..
A sweet little take...
Nugglebum43513 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, first and foremost this is supposed to be an adaptation of the book - if you've read the book and are expecting it to be retold on the screen you're really not going to like it. It's the loosest form of adaptation ever known and could have easily have just been it's own story in it's own right.
The story starts with the ditsy, slightly crazy Dubliner Claire, (Anna Friel) as she graduates from university and sets off for the bright lights of London with boyfriend Adam who's following her under the impression that she's all set for her new career in journalism. Claire's rather sporadic relationship with the truth however has caused her to leave out the fact that she doesn't actually have the new job, just an interview and when things go to pot with that Adam finds out the truth and storms back to Ireland.
Things look up for Claire though as she bumps into (literally) one of her interviewers, James (Jamie Draven), and when she finds Adam gone and James looking for more she thinks why not and starts dating him.
Skipping forward several weeks and Claire's story takes a turn when she finds out that she's pregnant. Knowing that Adam is the father she tries to tell him but he gives her the cold shoulder, in tears she heads back to James to come clean but when he cuts her off with excitement and doesn't let her tell him that he's not the father she gives in and keeps the truth to herself. Skipping forwards again the now heavily pregnant Claire goes into labour while James is ring shopping and their relationship comes to a crashing halt as the discrepancy in the length of her pregnancy comes to light and James is left with the realisation that he isn't the babies father.
Dumped and alone, Claire runs back, tail between her legs, to Dublin and her parents, dropping in a few more tall tales to cover up why she's alone with a newborn until her father collapses with a heart attack as the truth comes out. Forced into growing up and telling the truth Claire comes clean to ex boyfriend Adam about the baby and they awkwardly try to make amends while James turns up at her parents house after realising that he can't just let her go and forget it all because deep down he really loves her.
The final moments of this made-for-TV movie blow up with the showdown between Claire, Adam and James after he believes Claire has just 'moved on to the next guy'. When James lays his heart on the line and tells Claire that he came back to make amends and to see if she would come home to be a family with him he finds out that Adam is the father and, devastated, leaves to head home. Knowing that her and Adam could never be happy together because she loves James, Claire runs after him to the airport to tell him and after a will-they- won't-they chase they finally fall into each others arms.
Anyone who's read the book knows that this version of the story is VERY different, however, it's sweet and funny and feel-good nonetheless.
Yes it's predictable, no, Anna Friel's Irish accent isn't that great, but it's not a Hollywood blockbuster. It's just a sweet little take on a book that runs along nicely, has a fantastic supporting cast with faces such as Brenda Fricker as Claire's mother and is a little over an hours worth of soft-hearted, chick-centric viewing.
If all else fails, ignore the story and just smile, doe-eyed whenever the delectable Jamie Draven comes on screen - he gives a sweet little performance and is certainly easy to look at. Drama fuelled, edgy characters may be more his forte, but he still gives a great performance and it's always nice to see him get a chance to show off his smile!
The story starts with the ditsy, slightly crazy Dubliner Claire, (Anna Friel) as she graduates from university and sets off for the bright lights of London with boyfriend Adam who's following her under the impression that she's all set for her new career in journalism. Claire's rather sporadic relationship with the truth however has caused her to leave out the fact that she doesn't actually have the new job, just an interview and when things go to pot with that Adam finds out the truth and storms back to Ireland.
Things look up for Claire though as she bumps into (literally) one of her interviewers, James (Jamie Draven), and when she finds Adam gone and James looking for more she thinks why not and starts dating him.
Skipping forward several weeks and Claire's story takes a turn when she finds out that she's pregnant. Knowing that Adam is the father she tries to tell him but he gives her the cold shoulder, in tears she heads back to James to come clean but when he cuts her off with excitement and doesn't let her tell him that he's not the father she gives in and keeps the truth to herself. Skipping forwards again the now heavily pregnant Claire goes into labour while James is ring shopping and their relationship comes to a crashing halt as the discrepancy in the length of her pregnancy comes to light and James is left with the realisation that he isn't the babies father.
Dumped and alone, Claire runs back, tail between her legs, to Dublin and her parents, dropping in a few more tall tales to cover up why she's alone with a newborn until her father collapses with a heart attack as the truth comes out. Forced into growing up and telling the truth Claire comes clean to ex boyfriend Adam about the baby and they awkwardly try to make amends while James turns up at her parents house after realising that he can't just let her go and forget it all because deep down he really loves her.
The final moments of this made-for-TV movie blow up with the showdown between Claire, Adam and James after he believes Claire has just 'moved on to the next guy'. When James lays his heart on the line and tells Claire that he came back to make amends and to see if she would come home to be a family with him he finds out that Adam is the father and, devastated, leaves to head home. Knowing that her and Adam could never be happy together because she loves James, Claire runs after him to the airport to tell him and after a will-they- won't-they chase they finally fall into each others arms.
Anyone who's read the book knows that this version of the story is VERY different, however, it's sweet and funny and feel-good nonetheless.
Yes it's predictable, no, Anna Friel's Irish accent isn't that great, but it's not a Hollywood blockbuster. It's just a sweet little take on a book that runs along nicely, has a fantastic supporting cast with faces such as Brenda Fricker as Claire's mother and is a little over an hours worth of soft-hearted, chick-centric viewing.
If all else fails, ignore the story and just smile, doe-eyed whenever the delectable Jamie Draven comes on screen - he gives a sweet little performance and is certainly easy to look at. Drama fuelled, edgy characters may be more his forte, but he still gives a great performance and it's always nice to see him get a chance to show off his smile!
Horrible and NOTHING like the book.
irishdancingtoes30 September 2019
I was so excited when I saw this on Filmrise. It's nothing like the book. Nothing. Watch if you like, but don't watch it thinking it will be anything like the book. So disappointed because it's one of my favorites from Marian Keyes.
Lovely. Easy watch. Fun and real
isabel-necessary5712 March 2020
If you like the book DON'T watch the movie
Fairy54321 June 2020
Based on the book by Marian Keyes??? The only similarities are:
* the main character's name (but not even the correct surname)
* the name of Claire's baby
* the names of the two male characters
* the fact that she moved home to Ireland after having Kate
The rest is completely wrong. Totally skewed!! If you've read the book, you will not like this movie. In fact, even if you haven't read the book, this movie is still absolute rubbish. What's with Claire speaking to the camera?? So cringie!! Anna Friel was very irritating, especially the accent.
The rest is completely wrong. Totally skewed!! If you've read the book, you will not like this movie. In fact, even if you haven't read the book, this movie is still absolute rubbish. What's with Claire speaking to the camera?? So cringie!! Anna Friel was very irritating, especially the accent.
the book is way better
reneinsa3 November 2004
movies made of books are often not as good as the book was, and this a perfect example!! The book was brilliant! The movie was horrible!! I stayed up late to watch this last night, and was more than disappointed..
they use the same names, but left some characters out, and changed the entire thing around. Claire met James while she was a waitress... and then they got married, and he left her on the day their baby, Kate, was born - so she fled back to ireland, to live at her parents house with her folks and 2 sisters... and she has 2 other sisters that don't live @ home.. all great characters.. (in the movie she has one BORING sister) and she goes out with a friend of one of the sister, Adam, and falls for him..
i wont give away any of the rest - the book is fab!
ignore the movie.. read the book!!
they use the same names, but left some characters out, and changed the entire thing around. Claire met James while she was a waitress... and then they got married, and he left her on the day their baby, Kate, was born - so she fled back to ireland, to live at her parents house with her folks and 2 sisters... and she has 2 other sisters that don't live @ home.. all great characters.. (in the movie she has one BORING sister) and she goes out with a friend of one of the sister, Adam, and falls for him..
i wont give away any of the rest - the book is fab!
ignore the movie.. read the book!!
Jamie Draven Is So, So, So Very Sweet!
PAULA-BETTERIDGE23 May 2005
All I have to say is that the One and Only Jamie Draven is so very, very, very gorgeous, sexy, cute but most of all, one of the most sweetest, kind, caring and considerate guys in the world and I Love and Care for him more than anyone else in the whole world. In Watermelon, I personally think that Jamie gave one of his best performances ever because he shows how loving, caring and sharing a father can be towards his baby and the woman of his child. Jamie is a fantastic actor and he is a very diverse actor who shows how acting is done. I Love You, My Darling Jamie with all of my heart and I Always Will, Forever and that is a promise. Love Paula Draven
-X-
-X-
sheer class!!!
sky_blue_lynz8 May 2003
Hi everyone!, well it was a horrible night,me and my mum were totally bored and the tele was crap! then watermelon came on, i thought it was brilliant,it's a totally great,feel good girlie series! when the adverts came on i was dying to for them to end and get back to see what happens next! oh and Jamie Draven(swoon) i think ive fallen in love! No,seriously water melon was a really good watch,and every one that seen it thought so aswell! is there any way i can buy it? a big clap to the writer!!! and a wee wink to jamie(lol) Lynsey.x.
Not what I was expecting
rach08108422 April 2003
Having read and loved the Marian Keyes novel was slightly disappointed when i heard that the only thing the book and the(made for TV) movie had in common was the title and the fact that she has a baby. Fair enough the two stories are fairly similar she is Irish, has a baby, falls in love with someone who is not the one who got her pregnant, moves back to ireland and so on. The fact is the little details that have been changed are the ones that get me. The names of the two men have been changed round in the book Adam is James and vice versa. James dosen't actually leave her until she has had the baby. Overall I thought the film was well made and enjoyable, but I recommend reading the book before seeing the tv version.
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