Plot
A lonely middle-aged catering manager spends all of his time studying tapes of an eccentric TV chef...
Release Year: 1999
Rating: 7.0/10 (5,169 voted)
Critic's Score: 72/100
Director:
Atom Egoyan
Stars: Bob Hoskins, Arsinée Khanjian, Elaine Cassidy
Storyline A lonely middle-aged catering manager spends all of his time studying tapes of an eccentric TV chef. Meanwhile, a young woman is making her way from Ireland to find her boy friend, who moved to England to get a job in a lawn-mower factory. On arrival, she makes an early contact with the caterer, who recommends a boarding room to her. Slowly, it is revealed that the caterer has in fact befriended and subsequently abused more than a dozen young women. He, of course, now sets his sights on this woman. Much of the story is told in flashbacks, revealing how each of the characters grew to the point where they now find themselves. However, the drama of the character interaction is more important to director, Atom Egoyan, than the potential horror of the situation.
Writers: William Trevor, Atom Egoyan
Cast: Bob Hoskins
-
Joe Hilditch
Arsinée Khanjian
-
Gala
Elaine Cassidy
-
Felicia
Sheila Reid
-
Iris
Nizwar Karanj
-
Sidney
Ali Yassine
-
Customs Officer
Peter McDonald
-
Johnny Lysaght
Kriss Dosanjh
-
Salesman
Gerard McSorley
-
Felicia's Father
Marie Stafford
-
Felicia's Great Grandmother
(as Maire Stafford)
Gavin Kelty
-
Shay Mulroone
Brid Brennan
-
Mrs. Lysaght
Mark Hadfield
-
Television Director
Danny Turner
-
Young Joey Hilditch
Susan Parry
-
Salome
Filming Locations: 5, Southside Common, Wimbledon, London, England, UK
Opening Weekend: £56,588
(UK)
(10 October 1999)
(27 Screens)
Gross: $819,852
(USA)
(23 January 2000)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Quotes: Felicia:
His mother's trying to keep him away from me. Mr. Hilditch:
Mothers can be difficult.
User Review
Complex, horrifying, one the thrillers of the decade.
Rating: 10/10
Felicia's Journey was the closing film of this year's Galway Film Fleadh
(Gaelic: Festival).Based on a story by Ireland's premiere short story
writer
William Trevor, Felicia's Journey is one of the most terrifying thrillers
made this decade. So disturbed were some of the viewers that they refused
to
applaud the movie - "That was to freaky", said a local movie buff, "I
didn't
need to see that". The movie begins by fooling the audience. It starts as
a
bittersweet tale of a young Irish girl (Elaine Cassidy) who sleeps with a
British Army soldier and is shunned by her family. She is exiled to
Birmingham, England, where she meets Joe, a kindly old man (Bob Hoskins).
So
far, a pretty typical poignant Irish drama. Suddenly, some rapid editing
and
jolting images reveal that Joe ain't so sweet. In fact he's one of the
most
vicious, despicable psychopaths you'll ever seen on screen. The mood is
extremely fearful for the remainder as Elaine Cassidy's perfect rendition
of
an innocent Irish Catholic girl screams out for help. Hoskins has played
the
best role of his life of a tortured, gentle, caring, sick, evil but very
human man. His performance is only comparable to Peter Lorre in Fritz
Lang's
M.
Excellent editing and and a complex, skillful score contribute to making
this one of the movies of the year and a classic of the thriller genre.
Don't see it unless you have the nerve.
0