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Videos (see all 7)
Better Things (2008) -- As day dawns in the Cotswolds, a funeral is taking place that will have bitter repercussions in the community. Close by Rachel and Larry are reeling from a first love gone wrong. Meanwhile Mr Gladwin refuses to speak to Mrs Gladwin over past events.
Better Things (2008) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
5.8/10   246 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 299% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Duane Hopkins (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Better Things on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 January 2009 (France) more
Genre:
Plot:
A group of young people grow up together in a small, rural community in the Cotswolds. | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(14 articles)
Unveiled: the Guardian First Film award shortlist
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 1 January 2010, 2:58 AM, PST)

Trailer Premiere: "Better Things"
 (From IFC. 22 September 2009, 8:41 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
2 words... more (7 total)

Cast

 
Tara Ballard ... Sarah
Betty Bench ... Mrs. Gladwin
Frank Bench ... Mr. Gladwin
Emma Cooper ... Tess Baker
Che Corr ... David
Freddie Cunliffe ... Jon
Hillary Davies ... Therapist
Jane Foxhall ... Tess' Mum
Byndley Hutt ... Mr. Wilson
Lillian Hutt ... Mrs. Wilson
Patricia Loveland ... Nan Wilson
Liam McIlfatrick ... Rob
Rachel McIntyre ... Gail Wilson
Megan Palmer ... Rachel
Edward Pinner ... Shouting Teacher
Mike Randle ... Joel
Kerry Rowe ... Dealer
Katie Samuels ... Julie
Michael Socha ... Mike
Kurt Taylor ... Larry
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Directed by
Duane Hopkins 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Duane Hopkins  writer

Produced by
Helge Albers .... co-producer
Peter Carlton .... executive producer
Alastair Clark .... co-producer (as Al Clark)
Chris Collins .... executive producer
Lizzie Francke .... executive producer
Samm Haillay .... producer
Alexander O'Neal .... co-producer
Rachel Robey .... producer
David Smith .... associate producer
Paul Trijbits .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Dan Berridge 
 
Cinematography by
Lol Crawley 
 
Film Editing by
Christopher Barwell 
 
Production Design by
Jamie Leonard 
 
Art Direction by
Jane Levick 
 
Costume Design by
Mel O'Connor 
 
Makeup Department
Angie Mudge .... hair designer
Angie Mudge .... makeup designer
 
Production Management
Imogen Bell .... production manager
Katie Shahrokh .... post-production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Mindel .... third assistant director
Christian Rigg .... second assistant director
Nickie Sault .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Lizzie Dixon .... art director: additonal photography
 
Sound Department
Tom Barrow .... sound mixer: second unit
Anthony Ferretti .... boom operator
Daniel Goganian .... foley recordist
Douglas MacDougall .... sound designer
Micheal MacKinnon .... foley artist
Micheal MacKinnon .... sound re-recording mixer
Patrick Owen .... sound recordist
Chris Sinclair .... dialogue editor
Chris Sinclair .... sound re-recording mixer
 
Special Effects by
Dan Frye .... special effects technician
 
Visual Effects by
Lewis Saunders .... compositor
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Allen .... rigging gaffer: additional photography
Pete Carrier .... best boy (as Peter Carrier)
Ben Gibb .... clapper loader
Andy McBrearty .... gaffer: additional photography
Paul McKay .... focus puller: additional photography
Mark Morley .... key grip
Ang Richards .... second assistant camera: additional photography
Christopher Ross .... director of photography: additional photography
Barry Squires .... assistant camera
John Watters .... focus puller
Lee Wooster .... lighting gaffer
 
Editorial Department
Christian Blood .... assistant editor
Andrew Dearnley .... digital film supervisor
Dave Hall .... digital intermediate technician
Matt James .... digital intermediate technician
Steve Knight .... digital intermediate technician
Colin Monie .... supervising editor
Danielle Palmer .... assistant editor
Andy Richards .... senior digital intermediate technician
Gareth Spensley .... colorist
Gemma Townsend .... digital intermediate technician
 
Other crew
Livia Burton .... production coordinator
Leonard Crooks .... head of New Cinema Fund: UK Film Council
Julie Daly-Wallman .... script supervisor
San Davey .... script supervisor
Yvonne Eastmond .... production accountant
Dan Hodgett .... location services
Andy Hodgson .... floor runner
Rachel James .... post-production accountant
Himesh Kar .... senior executive
Jonathan Wicks .... location manager
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
93 min
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Certification:
Company:

FAQ

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4 out of 13 people found the following review useful.
2 words..., 26 January 2009
2/10
Author: beatmcmanus-1 from United Kingdom

...Bruno Dumont. I've read a lot of reviews lauding this supposedly great example of British art-house cinema. Even Sight and Sound made it film of the month. But the facts are simple, everything about it says the filmmaker is in thrall to the work of Bruno Dumont, particularly La Vie de Jesus and L'Humanite. And why not, they are magnificent films.

Unfortunately it only goes to highlight the miserable state of British art-house and British film-making in general that this is held up as a fine example of it when all it does is rip off the style and downbeat content of Dumont's great works. For the unforgiving Northern France landscape of Dumont substitute the Cotswolds and you've got it.

In fact its worth pointing out that the similarities in the prolonged static widescreen shots and the dull grey cinematography, so perfectly mimic L'Humanite especially that one would almost believe the filmmaker had had the audacity to give the colourist a copy of that film and then have him match the shots one by one.

But no filmmaker could be that cynical or unoriginal. Could they? 2 stars for the perfectly copied photography.

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Poor film - Nice art project system18
filmed in my town Tiggerdabounce21
DVD release seagull17
sad sad song victor_ombre
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