Ladies in Lavender

About as English as crumpets and afternoon tea, Ladies in Lavender is something of a masterclass in nationally identifiable stereotypes. After all, any film featuring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith and is the directorial debut of Charles Dance isn't likely to be mistaken for a gangsta rap comedy. The plot concerns old dears, Ursula and Janet Widdington (Dench and Smith) living in an isolated Cornish village in the 1930s. A reserved community in every sense of the word, the ladies are understandably intrigued when a young man (Bruhl) washes up on the beach. Taking pity on him, the sisters learn that the young man is an acclaimed violinist hailing from Poland but they're unprepared for the level of suspicion that falls upon his shoulders. Needless to say, a relationship, with a rather attractive painter (McElhone) sets tongues-a-wagging even more.

One wonders if Judi Dench and Maggie Smith ever yearn to play characters other than women who are so laden with baggage that they're in danger of being mistaken for airport carrousels? While a reasonably well handled proposition, the Ladies in Lavender is little more than a light cautionary tale, espousing similar themes to countless movies that have already charted this territory more successfully. Which is not to say that Ladies in Lavender is an unpleasant experience - it's not. It's just not the most exciting film that you're likely to see.