movie review song for marion

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Netflix streaming
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Link to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Hit Man Link to Hit Man
Babes Link to Babes

New TV Tonight

Evil: Season 4
Stax: Soulsville, U.S.A.: Season 1
Trying: Season 4
Tires: Season 1
Fairly OddParents: A New Wish: Season 1
Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza: Season 1
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: Season 1
Mulligan: Season 2
The 1% Club: Season 1

Unfinished Song

Where to watch.

Rent Unfinished Song on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

It's unabashedly sentimental, but thanks to reliably powerful performances from a well-rounded veteran cast, Unfinished Song proves a sweetly compelling character piece.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Paul Andrew Williams

Terence Stamp

Vanessa Redgrave

Gemma Arterton

Christopher Eccleston

James' Daughter

Eye For Film >> Movies >> Song For Marion (2012) Film Review

Song For Marion

Reviewed by: Martin Gray

In the popular memory, The Full Monty and Brassed Off are knockabout romps full of funny characters laughing at life. Certainly, that's the aspect the marketing emphasises. A viewing reminds us that while they have plenty of laughs, they're poignant portrayals of ordinary people dealing with tough circumstances.

And so it is with Song For Marion. The trailers and bus ads foreground the rapping pensioners, gleefully talking about sex, baby, with the illness of Vanessa Redgrave's Marion seeming almost an afterthought. The actual film, though, is another matter. From the start, the emphasis is on the relationship between Redgrave's Marion, dying of cancer, and husband Arthur (Terence Stamp). Learning that she has just months to live makes the regular OAP choir sessions at the local social club more important to her than ever. Arthur thinks she should stay at home for fear of being worn out by the exuberant sessions; but the fun is exactly why Marion wants to continue.

After being given the silent treatment by Marion, Arthur gives in, and promises to keep taking his wife to the sessions run by young music teacher Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton). He never joins in, either staying outside with a fag or driving home for a while. Elizabeth enters her charges into a song contest, and as practice, organises a small gig in the local park. While senior citizens singing Ace Of Spades in Spinal Tap gear gives everyone a laugh, it's Marion who steals the show, and hearts, with a tender, vulnerable version of Cyndi Lauper's True Colours.

That night, Marion dies. Arthur is inconsolable, particularly given his strained relationship with son James (Christopher Eccleston). Is there anything that can get him through the first few weeks of bereavement? Elizabeth thinks he should give the choir a chance - it turns out that he can carry a tune.

You could likely plot the last two-thirds of the film yourself, but what it lacks in originality, Song For Marion makes up in heart. The acting from Redgrave and Stamp is sublime, there's never a bum emotional note. Redgrave has played some of history's most assertive women, from Sylvia Pankhurst to Mary, Queen of Scots, but here finds the heroism in an ordinary person. And Stamp underplays beautifully as the emotionally constipated Arthur, making his howl of despair at Marion's passing all the more powerful.

Arterton and Eccleston hold their own with nicely observed and measured performances, and there are cameos from such national treasures as Anne Reid and Ram John Holder, but it's Redgrave and Stamp's show. Even absent from the screen, the memory of Marion tugs at the heartstrings, while Stamp dominates the action with his grumpy dignity.

Truth be told, I wept buckets at this film. It's not saying anything particularly new about life and death, grief and moving on, but it nails the simple realities with skill, style and power.

Director: Paul Andrew Williams

Writer: Paul Andrew Williams

Starring: Gemma Arterton, Vanessa Redgrave, Terence Stamp, Christopher Eccleston

Runtime: 93 minutes

Country: UK

Search database:

News & Features

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best things in life are free.

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Things to Do
Food & Drink
Arts & Culture
Time Out Market
Coca-Cola Foodmarks
Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

Song for Marion

3 out of 5 stars
Recommended

Time Out says

A marvellously insightful portrait of male emotional reticence lurks within an otherwise doggedly conventional feelgood drama in this change of pace for writer-director Paul Andrew Williams (‘London to Brighton’, ‘Cherry Tree Lane’). He puts two cash-strapped pensioners at the heart of this film, and it proves one of his smartest moves. It allows a first-ever on-screen pairing for actors Terence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave, and it puts genuine mortality at stake when illness jeopardises her role in a community choir for senior citizens. Redgrave is affectingly bright and breezy as the lively granny determined to make it to a national choral competition, while Stamp digs in as the grumpy other half who’s scornful of her activities. He’s not one for joining in anything.

Fate – and formulaic plotting, needless to say – has other ideas. But even though we know where the film’s going, it still manages to give the tear-ducts a workout. That’s in spite of a lumpy sub-plot involving estranged son Chris Eccleston, who’s too like his old dad to get on with him, and some toe-curlingly contrived acapella pop (Motörhead! Salt-N-Pepa!) from the assembled oldies. Williams’s better instincts are on display, however, when offering ailing Redgrave a heart-shredding solo number, and also in his attuned writing for the curmudgeonly hubby, whose tender side only his wife sees. So often framed as an icon of patrician cool, Stamp touchingly allows us to share the vulnerable feelings behind those chiselled cheekbones and still-azure eyes, drawing on his own humble roots to deliver a career-highlight performance. And that, surely, is worth singing about.

Release Details

Release date: Friday 22 February 2013
Duration: 93 mins

Cast and crew

Director: Paul Andrew Williams
Gemma Arterton
Christopher Eccleston
Vanessa Redgrave
Terence Stamp

An email you’ll actually love

Discover Time Out original video

Press office
Investor relations
Work for Time Out
Editorial guidelines
Privacy notice
Do not sell my information
Cookie policy
Accessibility statement
Terms of use
Modern slavery statement
Manage cookies
Advertising

Time Out Worldwide

All Time Out Locations
North America
South America
South Pacific

Song For Marion Review

22 Feb 2013

Song For Marion

Hankies at the ready for this comedy-drama starring Vanessa Redgrave as a terminal cancer sufferer who’s part of a local choir. She’s the cheerful one in her relationship with grouchy husband Arthur (Terence Stamp). Their opposites-attract marriage is beautifully portrayed until the inevitable; then Arthur must find salvation under the wing of the chirpy young choir mistress (Gemma Arterton). The final act suffers from the absence of the amazing Redgrave, and there are rough edges. But as a well-meaning tear-jerker, Song For Marion does the job.

Movies | 01 03 2013

Your browser is not supported

Sorry but it looks as if your browser is out of date. To get the best experience using our site we recommend that you upgrade or switch browsers.

Find a solution

Skip to main content
Skip to navigation

Back to parent navigation item
Digital Editions
Screen Network
Stars Of Tomorrow
The Big Screen Awards
FYC screenings
World of Locations
UK in focus
Job vacancies
Distribution
Staff moves
Territories
UK & Ireland
North America
Asia Pacific
Middle East & Africa
Future Leaders
My Screen Life
Karlovy Vary
San Sebastian
Sheffield Doc/Fest
Middle East
Box Office Reports
International
Golden Globes
European Film Awards
Stars of Tomorrow
Cannes jury grid

Subscribe to Screen International

Monthly print editions
Awards season weeklies
Stars of Tomorrow and exclusive supplements
Over 16 years of archived content
More from navigation items

Song For Marion

By Tim Grierson, Senior US Critic 2012-09-11T20:45:00+01:00

Dir/scr: Paul Andrew Williams. UK. 2012. 93mins

Song For Marion is aggressively sentimental and predictable — and its target audience won’t mind one bit. A drama about a miserable old coot who reluctantly takes part in an amateur vocal group consisting of senior citizens, the fourth film from writer-director Paul Andrew Williams strikes every emotional note with the subtlety of a tuba, but Terence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave give the movie some grace, no matter that you’ve heard this particular song many times before.

The cast helps give Song For Marion a professional polish.

This UK production — the Closing Night movie at the Toronto Film Festival — will call to mind a mix of different inspirational/underdog films like The Full Monty and Young@Heart , the 2007 documentary about a real-life elderly choral group. And with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel proving to be one of summer’s biggest indie smashes, there is certainly a market for feel-good dramas featuring older characters grappling with mortality. Expect the Weinstein Company, which is handling Song For Marion ’s US release, to play up the film’s crowd-pleasing elements to the hilt.

The film’s centrepiece is grumpy, retired Arthur (Stamp), who doesn’t get much joy out of life aside from his charming wife Marion (Redgrave, luminous as usual). Still, he finds her interest in the OAPZ (a grey-haired vocal group that performs covers of popular radio hits) a waste of time — that is, until Marion’s cancer returns, leaving her with just months to live. Knowing how much the group means to her, Arthur forces himself to get involved with the OAPZ, much to the pleasure of the group’s leader, the vivacious Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton).

Williams doesn’t bother trying to disguise the programmatic nature of his storyline. From the moment that Arthur starts grumbling at everyone around him — including his son James (a nicely dialled-down Christopher Eccleston) — it’s pretty clear that he’s approximately 60 minutes of screen time away from being a changed, better person.

Such comfortable predictability can be enjoyable if it’s handled with enough gusto and good cheer, and the cast helps give Song For Marion a professional polish. (Stamp does what he can to make Arthur’s transformation from codger to kind-hearted as smooth as possible.) Still, Williams plays down to his audience a little too strenuously, telegraphing each major twist and throwing in several tired plot conventions as well. (It’s not enough for Arthur to find contentment — of course, there must also be a big singing competition at the end of the film where everything is on the line.)

This by-the-numbers movie will appeal to those who don’t demand a lot from their nights out at the cinema, to audience members who simply want to laugh and cry and not be challenged by what they’re watching. There’s no shame in that, but it is frustrating that Song For Marion doesn’t dig into its two most potentially interesting kernels: the challenges facing the elderly when their spouses die, and the ways in which pop music is uniquely suited to expressing universal sentiments that can be otherwise hard to discuss. Unfortunately, these themes are merely paid lip service as Song For Marion marches to the beat of its very familiar drum.

Production companies: Entertainment One, The Weinstein Company, Steel Mills Pictures, Coolmore Productions, Film House Germany, Aegis Film Fund, Egoli Tossell Film

International sales: Entertainment One, www.entertainmentonegroup.com

Domestic distribution: The Weinstein Company, www.weinsteinco.com

Producers: Ken Marshall, Philip Morross

Cinematography: Carlos Catalan

Production design: Sophie Becher

Editor: Dan Farrell

Music: Laura Rossi

Main cast: Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston, Vanessa Redgrave, Anne Reid, Elizabeth Counsell

Gala Presentations

UK and Ireland box office preview: ‘Furiosa’, ‘The Garfield Movie’ face off

2024-05-24T12:45:00Z By Ellie Calnan

Other openers include ‘Trainspotting’ and Cannes 2024 title ’Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In’

Coralie Fargeat’s Cannes Competition title ‘The Substance’ scores multiple international deals

2024-05-24T08:16:00Z By Tim Dams

Body horror stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid.

UK-Ireland film cinema release dates: latest updates for 2024

2024-05-24T07:54:00Z By Ben Dalton

Bookmark this page for the latest updates in the territory.

Advertise with Screen
A - Z of Subjects
Connect with us on Facebook
Connect with us on Twitter
Connect with us on Linked in
Connect with us on YouTube
Connect with us on Instagram>

Screen International is the essential resource for the international film industry. Subscribe now for monthly editions, awards season weeklies, access to the Screen International archive and supplements including Stars of Tomorrow and World of Locations.

Screen Awards
Media Production & Technology Show
Terms and conditions
Privacy & Cookie Policy
Copyright © 2023 Media Business Insight Limited
Subscription FAQs

Site powered by Webvision Cloud

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

Start a new list…
Add all films to a list…
Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

Song for marion.

Directed by Paul Andrew Williams

Open your heart. Find your voice.

Arthur is a grumpy pensioner who can't understand why his wife Marion would want to embarrass herself singing silly songs with her unconventional local choir. But choir director Elizabeth sees something special in the reluctant Arthur and refuses to give up on him. As she coaxes him out of his shell, Arthur realizes that it is never too late to change.

Terence Stamp Vanessa Redgrave Gemma Arterton Christopher Eccleston Anne Reid Ram John Holder Barry Martin Taru Devani Orla Hill Jumayn Hunter Elizabeth Counsell Calita Rainford Alan Ruscoe Willie Jonah Sally Ann Matthews

Director Director

Paul Andrew Williams

Producers Producers

Ken Marshall Philip Moross

Writer Writer

Editor editor.

Dan Farrell

Cinematography Cinematography

Carlos Catalán

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Harvey Weinstein Bob Weinstein

Composer Composer

Laura Rossi

Sound Sound

Adam Daniel

Costume Design Costume Design

Jo Thompson

Makeup Makeup

Steel Mill Pictures Coolmore Productions Egoli Tossell Film Film House Germany Entertainment One Seville International The Weinstein Company EM Media BFI

Canada Germany UK

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Italian

Releases by Date

15 sep 2012, 22 feb 2013, 13 mar 2013, 08 may 2013, 15 may 2013, 21 jun 2013, 26 jul 2013, 03 jul 2014, 16 sep 2014, releases by country.

Theatrical 11
Theatrical 0
Theatrical Κ-12
Physical DVD
Theatrical PG
Theatrical PG-13

93 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Krommedijk ★★★½

After the death of his wife, grumpy old man Arthur (Stamp) surprisingly finds himself in the elderly choir in which she sang with so much pleasure. The film is a bit quirky, but there are several excellent scenes, especially when Vanessa Redgrave and Gemma Arterton are involved. Also known as Unfinished Song. I'm usually avoiding this type of film because of personal circumstances, but since I want to see as much of Redgrave's work as I can, I can't avoid it - and I wasn't disappointed.

Review by Martyn Perry ★★½

This is one strange strange movie. On one hand, it's very touching, extremely genuine, really well acted and executed (like a British Amour in a council estate). But then we get the other aspect of this movie which makes it complete and utter drivel, a complete tonal shift to lowest common denominator comedy featuring old age pensioners rapping, singing "lets talk about sex" and doing the robot.

The scenes featuring Stamp's and Redgrave's character's struggle with the inevitable are the most genuine, it's just a pity that this film really does try so damn hard to put all the good work to waste with some awful over the top scenes. Before the set piece that inspired the name of the…

Review by UltimateMovieRankings ★★★½ 1

My DVD cover call this...Unfinished Song. Terrance Stamp is excellent as a grumpy old man. A solid film that will not disappoint. Sad, funny and uplifting..you do not have to be a senior citizen to like this one.

Review by Luke Pauli ★★★★

Like School of Rock crossed with Michael Haneke's Amour , Song for Marion is a touching, tender and quite heartbreaking story. The sillier aspects, like the oldies acting "street", don't quite sit well with the heavier moments, but otherwise this film, a departure for writer/director Paul Andrew Williams after London to Brighton and The Cottage , hit all the right notes (PUN!). The performances by Terrence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave are phenomenal. Reduced me to a blubbering wreck on more than one occasion.

Review by Mark Cunliffe 🇵🇸 ★★½ 2

I feel like I'm kicking an adorable big eyed puppy dog when I say that Song For Marion was a big disappointment.

Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Eccleston and for me, the fittest actress around right now Gemma Arterton make for an impressive leading quartet. I really wanted to like this. So where did it all go wrong?

Song For Marion shamelessly tugs at the heartstrings in a manner that makes it all too mawkish and thoroughly predictable. You cannot help but think you've seen this film before, so familiar are the tropes of teary set pieces, feelgood moments and against all odds scenarios the cast of characters are forced to go through. I'm quite a sucker for a sad…

Review by Graham Williamson ★★★½

Paul Andrew Williams made his debut with London to Brighton , which stands second only to Shane Meadows's Dead Man's Shoes as the greatest British crime film of the 2000s. This PG-certificate 'grey pound' musical has nothing in common with it other than its disciplined, no-fat storytelling and sharp characterisation, which turns out to be more than enough to entertain.

Actually, maybe that's not true. Williams seems to specialise in small-scale stories - this year's The Eichmann Show was his first film where the outcome of the plot affected the world outside its central characters' neighbourhoods. Song for Marion revolves around a death, the death of Vanessa Redgrave's spirited, affecting titular cancer patient. In her honour, her widower Arthur vows to…

Review by ab

This world is beyond saving.

Review by Dan Pendleton ★★★½

Like Sister Act 2 but with OAP'z.

Review by juniper ★★★★

3 things i love:

1. choirs 2. domestic old people sappy stories 3. gemma arterton

this film was like a hearty chicken noodle soup

Review by Thom D.J. ★★★★½

Every once in a while I stumble upon a movie so touching, I'm left utterly speechless. "Song for Marion" is just that kind of film. It is a truly heart warming, sentimental, moving, and WONDERFUL film, about the importance of finding the joy in life. It is the kind of film we need to see when the news just shows us all the horrible things in the world. I haven't cried this much since I saw "The Land Before Time" for the first time! On the cover it says things like "Wonderful and heartwarming!", "A film to fall in love with", "A real charmer", "Fantastic!", and "Astonishing". Couldn't agree more!

Review by loureviews ★★★★

I L<3ve Musicals!

This is one of that group of recent films which put veteran actors centre stage; in this case, Vanessa Redgrave is Marion, who has terminal cancer, and Terence Stamp as Arthur, her grumpy husband who can't share his feelings. Their partnership is beautifully realised and totally convincing: they are both quite brilliant, heartrending, sweet, and you can just imagine what they have been to each other over the years. There is a moment very early on where these two kiss, with the truth of an old couple, and the energy of iconic screen actors.

The choir in which Marion finds happiness and in which Arthur finds solace once she has passed away, is hilariously inappropriate, as Gemma…

Review by Kyle Sykes ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

A little predictable with the uptight husband Arthur (Terence Stamp), learning to move on with his life after his wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) dies of cancer. Although here, he is actually continuing where his wife left off, by singing in her local choir. While he's at it, he want to reconcile with his son James (Christopher Eccleston), who he was never really there for growing up.

Still, the performances really made up for it. I pretty much knew Stamp and Eccleston would be great, but I was quite impressed with Redgrave and Gemma Arterton as well. Arterton was really sweet as Elizabeth, the upbeat choir director. Eccleston wasn't in it as much as I hoped, but to be fair, he wasn't the main focus. Plus, he was nowhere NEAR as wasted as he was in Thor: The Dark World!!!

Similar Films

Select your preferred poster

Song for Marion review: Terence Stamp sings his heart out

Director: Paul Andrew Williams; Screenwriter: Paul Andrew Williams; Starring: Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Vanessa Redgrave; Christopher Eccleston, Anne Reid; Running time: 93 mins; Certificate: PG

Growing old gracefully is easier said than done for Terence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave, especially in a film that borders on patronising the elderly. Tears of sadness and laughter are quite forcefully jerked by writer/director Paul Andrew Williams; thankfully his leads are able to rise above, playing an old married couple whose life together is rocked by cancer and choir lessons.

Initially, Stamp keeps his emotions bottled up as Arthur, except when he's lashing out at his son (Christopher Eccleston) and members of the local old folks' choir presided over by a young teacher, Elizabeth (a rosy-cheeked Gemma Arterton). Arthur is angry most of the time, but even more so when wife Marion (Redgrave) is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Though Marion is dying, she lives life to the fullest and channels much of her energy into singing with the choir. Presumably, the song choices are intended to reflect that young-at-heart philosophy, but having to sit through the OAPZ's croaky rendition of Salt-n-Pepa's 'Let's Talk About Sex' is surely enough to make viewers young and old wither up in embarrassment.

Following the formula of many a high school musical, a competition is announced that will pit the OAPZ against more traditional choral groups, but for Arthur this means less time with Marion who has been given only two months to live. His grouchiness is met by her with gentle humour and great generosity of spirit, which has obviously been the pattern of their relationship from the start.

Stamp and Redgrave look suitably comfy together, like an old pair of slippers and it's her adoring gaze that softens Arthur's hard edges. Her absence, halfway through the story, changes the tone slightly. Arthur spirals into depression with only Elizabeth daring to reach out to him, but their growing bond doesn't ring as true. His battle of wills with Eccleston proves more compelling.

Gradually, it emerges that Arthur is also gifted with dulcet tones and through the choir, he finds some emotional release. It's a contrived series of events that leads him to be stood before a mike in a crowded auditorium, but once there, Stamp delivers a genuinely rousing performance in tribute to Marion. What's missing is a sincere, heartfelt connection with his backup singers.

Some interesting faces make up the choir, including Anne Reid ( The Mother ) and Ram John Holder (Porkpie from '90s sitcom Desmond's ), but they only have a few one-liners between them. Williams is quite deliberately angling for a quintessentially British kitchen-sink comedy in the vein of The Full Monty and Brassed Off , but he puts cheeky humour ahead of real community spirit.

There isn't as much grit to this either, which is curious given that Williams crashed onto the scene with the brutal yet poignant London to Brighton (and followed up with horror films The Cottage and Cherry Tree Lane ). If he's trying to show us his softer side, he's trying too hard. Fortunately, he's saved by older, wiser actors who remember that Britishness means keeping a stiff upper lip.

.css-15yqwdi:before{top:0;width:100%;height:0.25rem;content:'';position:absolute;background-image:linear-gradient(to right,#51B3E0,#51B3E0 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 5rem,#E5E54F 5rem,#E5E54F 7.5rem,black 7.5rem,black);} Reviews

Anna and the Apocalypse is must-see Christmas film

Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2, November 2018

Wreck-It Ralph 2 review: Hilarious & heartwarming

Girl in the Spider's Web: Lisbeth's a superhero

fantastic beasts the crimes of grindelwald post dumbledore and newt scamander

Does Fantastic Beasts 2 recapture Potter magic?

Bohemian Rhapsody review: Not (quite) a kind of magic

Does the new Halloween movie live up to the hype?

First Man review: Does Ryan Gosling achieve liftoff?

Bad Times At the El Royale: A messy but stylish noir

Life Is Strange 2 episode 1 review: Road trip

Venom review: Does Tom Hardy's superhero measure up?

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in A Star is Born 2018

A Star is Born review: Does Lady Gaga's movie sparkle?

Song for Marion Review

Local choir saves old soul in the simplest of ways..

There is not much going on in the film on any level

Share this with family and friends

Over 11,000 hours

menu ▼ ▲

Latest News
Apps and Tracking News
Media Releases
Media Coverage
Archived News
Archived Events
By Age Suitability
By Classifications
By Date Added
By Collection
On Streaming
KBYG Weekly
About CMA movie reviews
By Platform
Privacy Check
Apps can track: privacy tips and checks
Apps containing loot boxes
Children and Gambling Watch List
About CMA app reviews
Smart Beginnings
Choosing Movies for Children: a guide
Scary Stuff
Screen Violence
Healthy Game Play
Working with your child and their Digital Privacy
Healthy Sleep
Current Campaigns
Media Codes, Guidelines and Standards
How to complain
Email your concerns
Our submissions
Board of Directors
Annual Report
Become a Member
Sponsors and Supporters
General Resources
Privacy Law and You
small screen
Parent Guides
Useful links
eBook - Quality Play and Media in Childhood Education and Care
Current Research
Research Archive
Researchers who focus on Children and the Media

Song for Marion

Short takes

Not recommended under 12, PG to 14 (Themes; Lack of interest)

This topic contains:

overall comments and recommendations
details of classification and consumer advice lines for Song for Marion
a review of Song for Marion completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 29 April 2013 .

Overall comments and recommendations

About the movie.

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

ACCM review

This review of the movie contains the following information:

a synopsis of the story
use of violence
material that may scare or disturb children
product placement
sexual references
nudity and sexual activity
use of substances
coarse language
the movie’s message

A synopsis of the story

Song for Marion stars Terence Stamp as Arthur, a grumpy, misanthropic pensioner who has trouble understanding why his wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) would want to embarrass herself by singing as part of an elderly choir group. As Marion’s health deteriorates and she loses her battle with cancer, Arthur tries to accommodate the wishes of his wife and frequently takes her to choir practice, opting to isolate himself outside and smoke in a secluded area during their rehearsals. However, choir director Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) appears to see something beyond Arthur’s cold exterior, and refuses to give up on encouraging him to participate.

After Marion dies, Arthur realises that change is indeed possible for him. He joins the choir, trying hard to let go of the long-standing bitterness and anger that he has used in the past to protect himself from getting close to people, including his estranged son James (Christopher Eccleston).

When a long-awaited singing competition takes place and the choir is told they will not be allowed to sing, Arthur takes action.

Themes info

Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.

Ageing and death; terminal illness; family relationships

Use of violence info

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

None of concern

Material that may scare or disturb children

Under five info.

Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.

There is one scene in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of eight:

As a cancer sufferer, Marion is given very little time to live after it is revealed that her cancer has returned. Halfway through the film, Marion dies and she is shown lying in bed with her eyes open, as Arthur wakes up and realises what has happened.

Aged five to eight info

Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

Children in this age group are also likely to be disturbed by the above-mentioned scene

Aged eight to thirteen info

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

Younger children in this age group may also be disturbed by the above-mentioned scene

Thirteen and over info

Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.

Nothing of concern

Product placement

Sexual references.

There were few sexual references in this movie, including:

One of the songs that the choir group elects to sing is “Let’s talk about sex”.
When Elizabeth is trying to convince the choir group to sing a rock song, she says that the original band members are “proper ugly, but they get laid daily”.
After the judge for the competition arrives, one of the elderly choir group members provocatively tells him “What do I have to do to get us through to the competition? I’m prepared to do anything”.

Nudity and sexual activity

Arthur and Marion share two brief kisses during the course of the film

Use of substances

There was some use of substances in this movie, including:

Arthur is continually seen smoking cigarettes outside the place where the choir group practices. At one point, Elizabeth says to him “Arthur, have you been smoking again? Smoke outside, it’s hard enough keeping this place open as it is”.
Arthur goes “out with the lads” one night to a bar, where people are seen casually drinking beer.

Coarse language

There is some coarse language in this movie, including:

Frequent use of “bloody” and “shit”; “crap”; “arse”

In a nutshell

Song for Marion is a heart-warming film that highlights the difficulties that come with change and ageing. Arthur is a man who has shut off his emotions in an attempt to cope with the imminent death of his wife, but has lost sight of what it really means to live. After she dies, he begins to realise that he has to change his ways, or he risks living in isolation and misery for the rest of his days.

The film lacks interest for children and its themes of ageing and terminal illness make it more suited to adults. Younger children may be upset by scenes of Marion’s death.

Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with older children include:

It’s OK to make a fool of yourself sometimes - don’t miss out on things you’d like to do just because people might make fun of you.
It’s never too late to make amends with people you have wronged. It is always worth trying one more time.
Focusing on only the negative things in life will make you miserable – look for the positive things.
Your sole goal should never simply be to win – failure can teach you important lessons.

Movie Review Search

Tip: Leave out the first A, An or The

Alphabetical:

Age suitability:.

Selecting an age will provide a list of movies with content suitable for this age group. Children may also enjoy movies selected via a lower age.

Classifications:

Date added:

About our colour guide.

Content is age appropriate for children this age

Some content may not be appropriate for children this age. Parental guidance recommended

Content is not age appropriate for children this age

CMA thanks the Romeo family for its support

Children and Media Australia (CMA) is a registered business name of the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM).

CMA provides reviews, research and advocacy to help children thrive in a digital world.

ACCM is national, not-for-profit and reliant on community support. You can help .

ABN: 16 005 214 531

Movie Reviews

App reviews.

Song for Marion

Song for marion review.

By Rich Cline

By focussing on the emotional bleakness in this story, writer-director Williams manages to find some interesting moments in a film that otherwise seems contrived to reach fans of heartwarming fare like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet . And while this film sometimes feels like a geriatric episode of Glee , it at least finds authenticity in the characters' emotions, thanks to clever acting and filmmaking.

It opens with an ageing couple: the perpetually cheery Marion (Redgrave) and her relentless grump of a husband Arthur (Stamp). "You know how I feel about enjoying things," he scowls as she chirps about him coming along to cheer for her singing club at an upcoming competition. But Marion has cancer, and she's trying to make sure that he doesn't shut down when she dies, cutting off contact with his single-dad son (Eccleston). Sure enough, he reacts to her death with cruelty and isolation. But Marion's relentlessly upbeat choir leader Elizabeth (Arterton) won't give up on him, and when she discovers that he can sing, she urges him to take Marion's place at the competition.

After the strikingly original thrillers London to Brighton and Cherry Tree Lane , this is not the kind of film we expect from Williams, but if we look closely we can see him constantly undermining expectations. This film isn't quite as heartwarming as it seems, allowing its characters to be rather startlingly awful at times even though the story is punctuated by uplifting sequences. And of course the veteran cast members are excellent. Redgrave is luminous as Marion, holding the film's emotional centre even after her character is gone. And Stamp quietly reveals a hidden tenderness under Arthur's rough exterior.

The side characters have some depth as well. Arterton gets a chance to show Elizabeth's inability to connect with people her age, while Eccleston is excellent in the thankless role of a man so wounded by years of bitterness that he can't give his father even one more chance. These sides of the story are so fascinating that it's annoying every time Williams falls back on the old cliche of having old people sing about sex. Indeed, they even do a rendition of Let's Talk About Sex . They also put on heavy metal regalia to sing The Ace of Spades . Honestly, this kind of simplistic pandering to the audience actually belittles the reality that retirees have artistic gifts that are both relevant and valuable. Although with this kind of approach, Williams does guarantee that there won't be a dry eye in the cinema.

Facts and Figures

Year : 2012

Genre : Dramas

Run time : 7 mins

In Theaters : Monday 25th February 2013

Production compaines : Steel Mill Pictures, Coolmore Productions, Egoli Tossell Film AG

Contactmusic.com : 3 / 5

Cast & Crew

Director : Paul Andrew Williams

Producer : Ken Marshall , Philip Moross

Screenwriter : Paul Andrew Williams

Starring : Terence Stamp as Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave as Marion, Gemma Arterton as Elizabeth, Christopher Eccleston as James, Anne Reid as Brenda, Ram John Holder as Charlie, Barry Martin as Timothy, Taru Devani as Sujantha, Orla Hill as Jennifer

Rotten Tomatoes

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Actors Index: 0 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Help Contact Us About Us Advertise Business Write For Us T&Cs Privacy Cookie Policy Site Map Consent Settings

Editors Recommended Editors Recommended
News Headlines News Headlines Trending Headlines
Music / Festival News Music / Festival News Musicians & bands in the news
Movie / TV / Theatre News Movie / TV / Theatre News Actors & filmmakers in the news
Lifestyle / Showbiz News Lifestyle / Showbiz News Celebrities in the news
News Archive News Archive
Music Reviews Music Reviews Best Rated Music Reviews
Music Video Music Video Top Music Videos
Most Mentioned Most Mentioned Bands and Musicians in Music
Movie Trailers Movie Trailers
Movie Reviews Movie Reviews Best Rated Movies
Most Mentioned Most Mentioned Actors and Filmmakers in Film
Latest Photos
Popular Photos Latest Photos Updated Galleries
Most Mentioned Most Mentioned People in Photos
Photo Archive Photo Archive
Trending Artists Trending Artists
Actors and Filmmakers Actors Filmmakers
Celebrities Celebrities
Bands and Musicians Bands Musicians
Interviews Interviews
Movie Trailers Movie Trailers Top Movie Trailers
Video Chart Video Chart
Most Mentioned Most Menioned Artists in Video
Music Video
Movie Trailers
Video Chart
Most Mentioned
Trending Artists
Actors and Filmmakers
Bands and Musicians
Celebrities
Popular Photos
Photo Archive

Go Back in Time using our Photos archive to see what happened on a particular day in the past.

Movie Reviews
Music Reviews
News Headlines
Music / Festival News
Movie / TV / Theatre News
Lifestyle / Showbiz News
News Archive

Go Back in Time using our News archive to see what happened on a particular day in the past.

Editors Recommended

Turn autoplay off

Turn autoplay on

Please activate cookies in order to turn autoplay off

Jump to content [s]
Jump to site navigation [0]
Jump to search [4]
Terms and conditions [8]
Your activity
Email subscriptions
Account details
Linked services
Press office
Guardian Print Centre
Guardian readers' editor
Observer readers' editor
Terms of service
Privacy policy
Advertising guide
Digital archive
Digital edition
Guardian Weekly
Buy Guardian and Observer photos

Today's paper

Main section
G2 features
Comment and debate
Editorials, letters and corrections
Other lives
EducationGuardian
Life & style
Environment

Song For Marion

Details: 2012, UK, Cert PG, 93 mins

Direction: Paul Andrew Williams

With: Anne Reid , Christopher Eccleston , Gemma Arterton , Terence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave

Our reviews

Philip french.

Vanessa Redgrave plays terminally ill Marion and Terence Stamp her laconic husband in Paul Andrew Williams's dreary, tear-jerking drama, writes Philip French

Peter Bradshaw

Grit-meister Paul Andrew Williams switches to the key of C major for a commercial crowdpleaser about a seniors' choir, writes Peter Bradshaw

Henry Barnes

It's a shame the tender family drama at the heart of this film is drowned out by a comedy chorus of pensioners with attitude, writes Henry Barnes

User reviews

Related articles, song for marion - video review.

Xan Brooks, Catherine Shoard and Henry Barnes review Song for Marion

Terence Stamp: five best moments

Kneel before Terence as we pay respect to the star with a look at five of his most memorable movie scenes

Today's best video

The week in tv, 'get your arse out, mate', spanish football player's stunning solo goal, whitewater kayaking: 'i wanted to spend every day on the river'.

Most viewed

Last 24 hours

2. Star Wars Episode VII: what we know as shooting starts
3. The Goonies sequel confirmed by director Richard Donner
4. After Gremlins and The Goonies, what other 80s films need a remake?
5. 2 States and screen kisses: 'Bollywood is cranking it up a notch'
More most viewed
2. Quiz: Can you match each of these Bond villains with their own evil plot?
3. Russian cinemas fined for showing The Wolf of Wall Street
4. 2 States and screen kisses: 'Bollywood is cranking it up a notch'
5. After Gremlins and The Goonies, what other 80s films need a remake?
All today's stories

Film search

Latest reviews.

Noah review â 'a preposterous but endearingly unhinged epic'

Russell Crowe wrestles angels and demons in Darren Aronofsky's $125m mashup of the ancient story of Noah, writes Mark Kermode

Honour review â Shan Khan's 'conflicted' first feature

The Double review â Richard Ayoade's dark doppelganger drama

Divergent review â lacks lustre and grit

A Story of Children and Film review â Mark Cousins's 'spine-tingling' visual essay

Thanks For Rating

Reminder successfully set, select a city.

Nashik Times
Aurangabad Times
Badlapur Times

You can change your city from here. We serve personalized stories based on the selected city

Edit Profile
Briefs Movies TV Web Series Lifestyle Trending Medithon Visual Stories Music Events Videos Theatre Photos Gaming

Hardik-Natasa, Deepika, Anushka-Virat-Akaay: Top 5 news

Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic's rumoured separation, Deepika Padukone flaunts her baby bump, Fans create AI image of Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli's son Akaay: Top 5 entertainment news of the day

Pahlaj reveals Divya shot despite stepping on a nail

Pahlaj Nihalani reveals Divya Bharti continued to shoot after stepping on a nail; says the actress would shoot for 20 hours straight

Kangana Ranaut greets PM Narendra Modi with a rose

PM Narendra Modi campaigns for Kangana Ranaut in Mandi; actress greets him with a rose - See photos

Janhvi Kapoor saree looks

Aditi's Cannes appearance receives appreciation

Aditi Rao Hydari's Cannes Film Festival appearance receives appreciation: 'At least someone from India is making us proud'

Have Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic separated? Netizens speculate that, as Natasha drops the surname 'Pandya' from her social media account

Movie Reviews

Kartam Bhugtam

The Three Musketeers - ...

The Garfield Movie

Kingdom Of The Planet O...

Boonie Bears: Guardian ...

The Boy And The Heron

The Deep Dark

Pyar Ke Do Naam

Movie Listings

Most charming pics of Esha Kansara

Mom-to-be Deepika Padukone gives maternity fashion goals in a sunshine yellow dress

Kajal Aggarwal Redefines Elegance with a Stunning Surreal Saree Look

Soundarya Sharma looks drop-dead gorgeous in these pics

Janhvi Kapoor turns heads in a white shirt and green satin skirt inspired by cricket nets

Krithi Shetty exudes beauty in her maroon lehanga

Mithila Palkar's Dreamy Looks

Ritabhari Chakraborty captivates with saree elegance

Aditi Rao Hydari to Shriya Saran, best photos of the week

Heartwarming romantic Kannada films to fall in love with

Barah x Barah

Marriage.com

Boonie Bears: Mumma Ki...

The Sabarmati Report

Desh Ke Gaddar

Dandupalayam

Konjam Pesinaal Yenna

Pagalariyaan

Padikkadha Pakkangal

Inga Naan Thaan Kingu

Uyir Thamizhukku

C.D (Criminal Or Devil...

Big Brother

Nata Ratnalu

Brahmachari

Prathinidhi 2

Lakshmi Kataksham

CID Ramachandran Retd....

Guruvayoorambala Naday...

Kattis Gang

Sureshanteyum Sumalath...

Marivillin Gopurangal

Switch { Case N:

Revenge Of Dharani

Usire Usire

Dasavarenya Sri Vijaya...

Naalkane Aayama

Khelaghar Bandhte Lege...

Tahader Katha

Nayan Rahasya

Eta Amader Golpo

Arokkhoniya

Bengal Police Chapter ...

Rose Rosy Te Gulab

Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai

Je Jatt Vigarh Gya

Shinda Shinda No Papa

Tabaahi Reloaded

Pind Aala School

Kaale Angrej

Sheran Di Kaum Punjabi...

Karmavirayan

Swargandharva Sudhir P...

Dil Lagal Dupatta Wali...

Mahadev Ka Gorakhpur

Nirahua The Leader

Tu Nikla Chhupa Rustam...

Rowdy Rocky

Mental Aashiq

Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat...

Roshani Confused Girl

Insurance Jimmy

S2G2 - A Romantic Miss...

Maru Mann Taru Thayu

Life Ek Settlement

31st December

Jajabara 2.0

Operation 12/17

Dui Dune Panch

Song for Marion

Your rating, write a review (optional).

Movie Listings /

Would you like to review this movie?

Cast & Crew

Latest Reviews

Paashbalish

Baahubali: Crown Of Blood

The Big Cigar

Thalaimai Seyalagam

Unfinished Song Trailer

Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

What is the release date of 'Song for Marion'? Release date of Vanessa Redgrave and Gemma Arterton starrer 'Song for Marion' is 2013-06-21.
Who are the actors in 'Song for Marion'? 'Song for Marion' star cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton, Terence Stam and Christopher Eccleston.
Who is the director of 'Song for Marion'? 'Song for Marion' is directed by Paul Andrew Williams.
What is Genre of 'Song for Marion'? 'Song for Marion' belongs to 'Drama, Romance' genre.
In Which Languages is 'Song for Marion' releasing? 'Song for Marion' is releasing in English.

Visual Stories

10 baby names that Indians are loving right now

Entertainment

Summer vacation special: 10 books that will get the kids addicted to reading

12 desi vegetarian dishes to make under 30 minutes

From Kabosu to Manny the Frenchie: Viral pet dogs on the internet

This Kashmiri Gond Kheer recipe is perfect for Summer indulgence

8 plants that are extremely difficult to grow

Upcoming Movies

Popular Movie Reviews

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

The Three Musketeers - Part II...

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The A...

The Fall Guy

Challengers

'Challengers' star Mike Faist is from Ohio. More about the actor and his notable roles

Mike Faist, one of the stars of the 2024 movie 'Challengers,' was born and raised in Gahanna, Ohio.
Faist's acting passions began with movies, theater, and dancing, and he participated in theater at Gahanna Lincoln High School.

Mike Faist, one of the leads of the recent movie "Challengers," a sports drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino, has been the talk of the town on social media.

You may have also seen him in the movie "West Side Story " and Broadway musicals like "Newsies" and "Dear Evan Hansen."

But did you know this gifted theater kid was born and raised in Ohio? Here’s what to know about Mike Faist.

Cincinnati in Challengers? Why Zendaya's 'Challengers' film featured a Greater Cincinnati Applebee's

Where was Mike Faist born?

Michael Faist, or Mike, was raised in Gahanna, Ohio by adoptive parents Julia and Kurt Faist, according to People .

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Gahanna is located northeast of Columbus near John Glenn Columbus International Airport.

How old is Mike Faist?

Faist turned 32 years old in 2024. He was born on Jan. 5, 1992.

How did Faist start acting?

Faist’s acting passions began with movies, theater, and dancing, and he participated in theater at his high school, Gahanna Lincoln High School.

After graduating at 17, he moved to New York to pursue an acting career. He eventually got roles on Broadway, and his breakthrough role was Connor Murphy in "Dear Evan Hansen."

Mike Faist’s famous co-stars

Faist has been looming on the screen with starring roles in Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of "West Side Story" alongside Rachel Zegler, and just recently Luca Guadagnino’s "Challengers" with Zendaya and Josh O'Connor.

Review: A parent's guide to 'Challengers': Is Zendaya's new movie appropriate for tweens or teens?

What critics are saying about Challengers

This movie isn’t just about tennis — it’s about three tennis lovers in a dramatic love triangle.

" Challengers ," a romantic sports drama directed by Luca Guadagnino, premiered in theaters on April 25.

The film follows Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a former tennis star turned coach attempting to turn her husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), into the next tennis champion. But in order to do so, he must face off against her ex-boyfriend Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor).

Challengers received a solid reception with an 88 percent “fresh” rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes , based on 319 reviews within a month. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes say Challengers is a “thrilling tennis-set romance that puts the unfiltered love of the game and the highs and lows of unabashed competition to the test in one of the great sporting movies of our time”.

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

an image, when javascript is unavailable

‘Born Innocent’ Review: The Story of Redd Kross, the Most Underrated Band of Their Generation, Is Told in Fascinating Detail in a New Documentary

By Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music

If Live Nation and Ticketmaster Are Broken Up, Will Things Get Better for Fans? 11 hours ago
Live Nation and Ticketmaster Sued by U.S. Justice Department: ‘It Is Time to Break It Up’ 18 hours ago
Is the Music Business Too Afraid of Big, Bad AI? 2 days ago

It is a paradoxical but nonetheless true statement to say that the retro-leaning L.A. rock band Redd Kross was far ahead of their time — not just musically (the power-pop resurgence of the early ‘90s) but also in pop-culture worship and the irony that saturated the 1990s. But their comic take on those things obscures not just what a great rock band they were and still are, but also the fact that they’re legit OGs on any number of levels.

Popular on Variety

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story (@borninnocentreddkross)

At a time when most other American punk bands were shouting about hating the police and having no values, Red Cross’ first EP, released in 1980 (and soon the target of a legal letter that led to the current, altered spelling), included an ode to beach-movie icon Annette Funicello and a song called “I Hate My School”; their debut album bore the title of a different scandalous Blair-starring film (“Born Innocent”), was filled with punky songs with titles like “White Trash” and “Cellulite City” and even a cover of a Charles Manson song. But then came the rebellion against the punk scene, the long hair, glammed-out clothes and pop-culture overload, and the basically never left.

In 1987, Redd Kross released one of the greatest power-pop albums of all time, “Neurotica,” but the album and their retro sound and look were far ahead of the mainstream (the muffled production from ex-Ramones drummer Tom Erdelyi did not help; the album has since been remixed and sounds significantly better). But the group’s enormously entertaining live shows — the first time I saw them they played two Beatles covers; the second time, they played two songs from “Jesus Christ Superstar” — are what truly built the legend. Sonic Youth, patron saints of the indie scene with no small pop-culture fetish of their own, worshipped them, as their cofounder Thurston Moore says in the doc; members of Soundgarden and other Seattle bands speak reverentially of their shows in the area.

Major labels swarmed to the group’s shows, but like their kindred spirits of the era, the Replacements, they’d intentionally goof off if they knew A&R execs were in the audience, once playing the Who’s “Tommy” at a high-profile L.A. concert (in its entirety) rather than their own songs. The group signed with Atlantic Records, but were out of their depth in the high-stakes major-label world; Jeff’s substance abuse (which he downplays, although his brother doesn’t) did not make the situation better. The group’s lineup stabilized in the early ‘90s and they released two strong studio albums with “Phaseshifter” and “Show World,” but their moment had passed and after 15 years, with even Steve in his thirties, the group went on what turned out to be a decade-plus-long hiatus.

But they reunited during the 2010s and this documentary — which is seeking distribution — is hitting film festivals coinciding with a major Redd Kross redux: There’s a new, self-titled album dropping late next month — the video for its lead single, “Candy Colored Catastrophe,” was directed by Reich and includes lots of footage from the doc — and a national tour, along with a forthcoming retrospective book and a just-released reissue of their first album.

Now in their fifth decade, Redd Kross has had a charmed, star-crossed existence, and “Born Innocent” tells that story in fascinating fashion.

“Born Innocent” has its Los Angeles premiere at the Don’t Knock the Rock Festival on May 23, with a second screening on May 27.

Directed by Andrew Reich Produced by Andrew Reich & Julian Cautherley Executive Producers, Josh Braun, Dan Braun Cinematography by Steve Appleford Edited by Erin Elders Sales Agent: Submarine Entertainment

More From Our Brands

Watch jane’s addiction debut new song ‘imminent redemption’ at london show, woodford reserve’s new bourbon is a delicious accident, ncaa, power five ok $2.7 billion antitrust settlement, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, grey’s anatomy recap: [spoiler] is fired — and as one couple breaks up, another one hits the sheets, verify it's you, please log in.

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘emilia pérez’ review: zoe saldaña, selena gomez and the divine karla sofia gascón light up jacques audiard’s fabulous queer crime musical.

A Mexican drug lord enlists the help of a lawyer to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the latest from the French director of 'A Prophet,' 'Rust and Bone' and 'Dheepan.'

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

Share on Facebook
Share to Flipboard
Send an Email
Show additional share options
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest
Share on Reddit
Share on Tumblr
Share on Whats App
Print the Article
Post a Comment

Movies that take their title from a female protagonist’s name — from Mildred Pierce and Stella Dallas through Norma Rae to Vera Drake and Jackie Brown — instantly claim that woman’s rightful place at the heart of a story, often depicting struggle and sacrifice but also resilience and strength of character. The same applies to Jacques Audiard ’s bracingly original crime musical Emilia Pérez , even if the woman herself doesn’t show up until some way in, when she emerges from the unlikeliest of cocoons.

Full credits

Thr newsletters.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Demi moore cannes shocker ‘the substance’ sells wide, how mohammad rasoulof escaped iran and why he will continue fighting: “i will never forget that the islamic republic is a terrorist”, ‘atlas’ review: jennifer lopez and simu liu in another netflix movie made to half-watch while doing laundry, alfonso cuarón says he directed ‘harry potter’ movie only after guillermo del toro called him an “arrogant a**hole”, ‘beating hearts’ review: love conquers all, including good taste, in overwrought french crime romance starring adèle exarchopoulos, ‘all we imagine as light’ review: a moving and luminous chronicle of two women searching for connection in mumbai.

Share full article

Supported by

Critic’s Notebook

An Extraordinary Documentary About the Most Precious of Lives

Margreth Olin’s “Songs of Earth” works almost like a poem as she records her parents and the Norwegian landscape.

A tiny figure can barely be seen amid the fjords of Norway.

By Alissa Wilkinson

It’s rare to see a film that feels not just poetic in nature, but like actual poetry. The rhythm and cadence, the imagery and metaphor, even the sense of movement and time that often accompany a great poem don’t translate easily to the screen. Filmmakers need a light touch and trust in the viewer to lean in and let their work wash over them, rather than trying to decode everything.

Margreth Olin somehow pulled it off — and in a documentary, no less. Her “Songs of Earth” (in theaters) is tough to categorize as anything other than poetry, though there are elements of nature photography and personal narrative woven throughout.

At the center of “Songs of Earth” are the relationship between Olin’s parents, Jorgen and Magnhild Mykloen, as they age, and the spectacular landscapes of her native Norway. The film moves through a cycle of seasons, during which the terrain changes from green to brown to white and back again. At the center of that terrain is Olin’s 84-year-old father, who returns repeatedly to the Oldedalen valley, in the western part of the country.

Olin’s father tells her stories of his life and their ancestors. She learns about tragedies, about surgery he underwent when he was young, about the way the world has shaped him and his life. Both of her parents — who have been married for 55 years — talk about their relationship and what the future may hold for them, with grief inevitably on the horizon.

The gentle stories are marked by periods of silence that are never silent: The earth produces its own noises of ripples and blusters and crackling, melting ice, sometimes harmonizing with a gorgeous score by Rebekka Karijord. It’s really quite an experience to watch, and what might tie it all together is Olin’s decision to film her father’s skin at very close range. There’s a point being made there: His wrinkles and crevasses echo the landscape, which has also been shaped by time and forces of nature. In the span of the earth’s life, an individual human’s time is minuscule, yet precious — we are the planet in microcosm.

It’s an altogether extraordinary film, one I’ve thought about often since I first saw it, and I’m delighted that it’s playing in theaters — the immersive nature of the sounds, music and landscapes are worth experiencing with the full concentration a cinema affords. But even if you can’t see it that way, it’s worth watching whenever it’s available digitally. Just make sure you close the door, dim the lights and give yourself the gift of being immersed in it fully.

Bonus Review: ‘Queen of the Deuce’

“ Queen of the Deuce ” (in theaters and available to rent or buy on most major platforms ) is a curiously flat recounting of the life and titillating times of the adult-theater entrepreneur Chelly Wilson, one of the most vividly eccentric characters in the history of New York City.

A Greek Jew who snagged one of the last boats to New York in 1939, a whisker ahead of the Nazi occupation, Wilson wasted no time transforming her hot-dog stand into a thriving pornography empire. From the late 1960s to the ’80s, she played a pivotal role as the owner of multiple theaters, an importer of pornographic films and, eventually, a founder of her own production company.

Ensconced in her apartment above the all-male Adonis Theater, Wilson, who died in 1994, held court among entertainers, Mafia dons, a roster of possible female lovers and shopping bags stuffed with cash. (Her Mob connections are as politely glossed over as her intriguing private life.) Cozy interviews with her children and grandchildren reveal a woman who rarely spoke of her past, including an arranged marriage to a man who repulsed her.

Tastefully directed by Valerie Kontakos, “Queen of the Deuce” is the story of a shape-shifter: a twice-married gay woman, a Sephardic Jew who celebrated Christmas. The style is stilted, the look rudimentary, with Abhilasha Dewan’s cheeky animation supplying an occasional visual lift. — JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

Alissa Wilkinson is a Times movie critic. She’s been writing about movies since 2005. More about Alissa Wilkinson

Cookie banner

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy . Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use , which became effective December 20, 2019.

By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.

Follow The Ringer online:

Follow The Ringer on Twitter
Follow The Ringer on Instagram
Follow The Ringer on Youtube

Filed under:

Pop Culture

Kevin Costner Wills His Own ‘Yellowstone’ Into Existence With ‘Horizon: An American Saga’

Going full Francis Ford Coppola and producing an epic passion project at great cost to himself, Costner attempts a classical Western that could use a modern update

Share this story

Share this on Facebook
Share this on Twitter
Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Kevin Costner Wills His Own ‘Yellowstone’ Into Existence With ‘Horizon: An American Saga’

There might not be a more appropriate and straightforward way to open an American Western than with a scene of a white settler tracing the foundations of the house he wants to build on some seemingly available plot of land. The colonial question at the heart of the genre is thus immediately introduced in Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1 , the first film in Kevin Costner’s epic four-movie series (the second installment has already been shot) that he produced ( at great cost to himself ), cowrote, directed, and starred in. Costner’s perspective on that question, however, isn’t entirely clear in that opening sequence, but it does end with the settler and his young child being killed by Apaches who are defending their territory, highlighting their rightful anger. In this sequence, a rousing old-fashioned score, plenty of cross-fades, and an orange sunset give the brutal encounter the look of a monumental, foundational, almost elemental event, like a big bang—a natural, terribly meaningful catastrophe.

The Ringer ’s Streaming Guide

A collage of characters from popular TV shows, from Barry to Succession

There’s a lot of TV out there. We want to help: Every week, we’ll tell you the best and most urgent shows to stream so you can stay on top of the ever-expanding heap of Peak TV.

It is through such small yet symbolic stories that Costner starts to paint his very large and detailed picture of pre– and post–Civil War America. Jumping from one setting to another, the filmmaker introduces us to various archetypes of the American West, from the English settlers too posh and sophisticated to do any work while traveling on the Santa Fe Trail (Ella Hunt and Tom Payne), to the housewife with a dark secret (Jena Malone) and her naive husband (Michael Angarano) hoping to get rich through gold, to the foulmouthed sex worker (Abbey Lee) whom everyone despises, except for the hero (Costner, naturally), who finds himself protecting her. In a series of extended vignettes, their personal dramas unfold and sometimes intersect, with occasional time jumps to speed things up and show the consequences of their decisions. None of these stories are particularly original or compelling, retreading old tropes and recalling television both visually and structurally. (It’s hard not to think of Yellowstone , the Western series starring Costner; it was during that show’s hiatus that he made this film.) For instance, the past of the housewife, Ellen, comes back to haunt her when we learn that she once was a sex worker herself and killed a powerful criminal who had abused her: The idea that the Wild West allowed for self-reinvention but was also fueled by the exploitation of women is a staple of the genre—and could still be interesting to explore—but Costner struggles to keep all his plates spinning at once, offering only a quick glance at one prototypical story before moving on to the next one. Instead of making us feel the unbearable weight of history through this amalgamation of survival tales—or creating at least a sense of time and place—this first “episode” indeed functions as a technically efficient but not very appealing series pilot, setting the scene but not giving its protagonists enough room for us to get invested in them.

Making an American Western in 2024 means coming after a long line of films, the first succession of which established the genre’s often white supremacist and pro-colonial codes. Later, revisionist Westerns adapted these tropes to suit different eras, taking into account changing mentalities about the romanticization of America’s violent past and materialistic tendencies (think of The Wild Bunch and its explosive, balletic, devastating gunfights, or the spaghetti Western For a Few Dollars More ), and, eventually, the oppressed were put at the center of the narrative, be they women or Indigenous people themselves. ( Killers of the Flower Moon is the most recent example, but Soldier Blue from 1970 may be the most strident.) Costner, however, doesn’t seem all that interested in looking back with a critical eye, and he’s also not trying to tell a story about the past that could be relevant today. Instead, he’s aiming for the timelessness of myth and adopts a centrist approach: Colonialism was an unstoppable engine that everyone, Indigenous or white, was simply caught up in. After a deadly Apache attack, First Lieutenant Trent Gephardt (Sam Worthington, who seems determined to act in projects that will be made over several years or decades of his life ) has to remind the surviving white settlers that this land is not, in fact, simply where they live, but that it belongs to Indigenous people; still, the pioneers refuse to leave. Costner spends time on the unwelcome inhabitants and their sorrow and helplessness but also cuts to the Apaches—they, too, are having internal disagreements about whether this attack was ultimately necessary. Yet if these two points of view could allow for some interesting ambiguity, revealing the moral dilemmas and doubts of people on both sides, in Costner’s vision, the two parties are stuck in a dynamic that is completely outside their control and has a will of its own—rather than one born of the colonizers’ endless thirst for more land. (Costner’s production company is in fact called Territory Pictures Entertainment.) No one is really responsible. Playing a blasé colonel, Danny Huston puts it bluntly: “Let this place do what it’s done since time immemorial.” But isn’t this time still relatively fresh in the Apaches’ memory?

This idea of a manifest destiny that pushes for colonization, whether its participants approve of it or not, appears as much in the film’s aesthetics as it does in its narrative. Costner’s camera repeatedly focuses on and emphasizes old-fashioned and at times offensive clichés of the genre: a dying white man refusing to let an Apache take his violin, thus defending civilization against barbarism until his last breath; a priest solemnly digging graves for fallen pilgrims on Apache ground; men working hard to build infrastructure where there was once only nature; a teenage son choosing to fight back against the Indigenous alongside his father rather than hiding with his mother and sister. To quote Vampire Weekend : “Untrue, unkind, and unnatural, how the cruel, with time, becomes classical.” If his old-school conservatism wasn’t apparent enough, the filmmaker also gives his actors cheesy dialogue that even John Wayne couldn’t have made cool. (“It’s what drove us across the ocean to this country in the first place: hope.”) Whether they’re full of threat or flirtatious (as between Sienna Miller’s widow, Frances Kittredge, and Gephardt), conversations tend to be tedious exchanges of witty comebacks, with no one saying what they really mean until they’ve exhausted all possible innuendos and the scene just cries out for a resolution—an unintentional parody of the typically charming repartee of the best cowboys of the silver screen, from Wayne to Jimmy Stewart to Montgomery Clift. So far in the film series, only Luke Wilson and Michael Rooker come across as believable men of the time, the former thanks to his Southern drawl and natural ease, the latter because of his ability to find depth and emotion in the otherwise one-dimensional, obedient, and kind sergeant he must play.

But what about Costner the actor? Naturally, he plays the strong, silent type—always his strongest suit—as Hayes Ellison, a straight shooter who accidentally gets involved in the revenge campaign that threatens Ellen because of her past rebellion. Although he only appears after about an hour of exposition, the humility of that delay vanishes almost instantaneously. As he gets off his horse, Marigold (the sex worker played by Lee) lays eyes on him and, for no apparent reason other than the fact that he’s the film’s protagonist, decides to try seducing him again and again—despite his repeated rejection and almost offensive disinterest—instead of trying her luck with any of the other men who just got into town. In one of the film’s most successful and enjoyable scenes, however, Ellison lets Marigold do all the talking, his silence pushing her to almost turn double entendres into just plain sex talk. Here, Lee is showing much more range and playfulness than she’s ever had the chance to as an actress, so it’s particularly disappointing that Costner later gives the two of them a completely lifeless and preposterous sex scene in which she tells him, word for word, “You just lay there,” and he does so, looking almost bored as this beautiful woman half his age does all the work.

With its hubris, traditionalism, and sprawling, messy structure, Horizon feels like a relic of the 1990s, back when Costner was at his peak and he could indeed almost just lay there and be perceived as the masculine ideal. There is still a chance that Chapter 2 will reveal a deeper questioning of the American past and, by the same token, the more toxic aspects of masculinity tied to colonialism and violence. Still, considering how far and with how much conviction Costner has pushed it here, it seems unlikely that the cheesy style of this opus will be abandoned for something that’s more grounded and that spends less time glorifying both its star and conservative ideas of property, national identity, women, and progress. After all, the horizon always appears to stay at the same place.

Next Up In Movies

‘Furiosa’ Is Here! Witness It!
Netflix’s Plan for ‘3 Body Problem,’ Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums, and ‘Top Chef’
Mallory Rubin on ‘Avengers: Endgame’
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Is All Muscle Memory
The Movie or Show That Will Win Summer 2024
When Friends Become Lovers

Sign up for the The Ringer Newsletter

Thanks for signing up.

Check your inbox for a welcome email.

Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.

Prestige TV Hall of Fame: The ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Season 4 Finale, “Mr. Walsh Goes to Washington,” With Bill Simmons and Juliet Litman

Bill and Juliet share their insights on the most pivotal episodes throughout Brenda and Brandon’s season-long MVP run before breaking down the tumultuous Mardi Gras finale in full

Yankees Split With Mariners, Andy Martino on Brian Cashman’s Career, and Ian Begley Talks Jalen Brunson’s Extension

Ian Begley joins JJ to talk about the Knicks’ 2023-24 campaign, and Andy Martino makes his ‘NYNY’ debut to discuss his new book about Brian Cashman

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa - Premier League

Keep or Sell: Who Will Make Aston Villa’s Champions League Team?

James Allcott is joined by Luke Robinson and Justin Hawthorne to sift through the Aston Villa squad to decide who should stay and who should go

‘Bridgerton’ Episodes 3-4, Four Seasons Orlando Baby, and JoJo Siwa’s 21st Disney Birthday

Plus, Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White were spotted together at a Cubs game

Revisiting the Seven Wonders of the Season, Way-Too-Early No. 1 Team Predictions, and New NIL Issues With Terrence Oglesby

Tate Frazier is joined by Terrence Oglesby to discuss college basketball projections, the seven wonders of the 2023-24 season, Mark Pope’s brand of Kentucky basketball, and more

What America’s Bold, New Economic Experiment Is Missing

Derek is joined by David Leonhardt to examine the new movement in Washington regarding technology, trade, and growth

Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Amazon Prime includes:

Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.

Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.

Return this item for free

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

Go to your orders and start the return
Select the return method

Link this device to your Amazon account to enable Frustration-Free Setup.

If you already have a qualifying Amazon device connected to your home network and stored network credentials, the new device can automatically join the same home network and automatically complete device setup.

Enhance your purchase

Image Unavailable

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device, more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes, supports Wi-Fi 6, watch free & live TV

To view this video download Flash Player

We want you to know

To benefit from Wi-Fi 6, a compatible Wi-Fi 6 router, like the eero Pro 6, is required. Fire TV Stick 4K is also compatible with earlier wifi routers.

Dolby Atmos is only available on select streaming services when connected to compatible equipment.

Alexa Voice Remote includes 4 pre-programmed app buttons including Netflix and Prime Video; other two app buttons will vary.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device, more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes, supports Wi-Fi 6, watch free & live TV

Sustainability features.

This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.

Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were reduced compared to similar products or previous models.

The Reducing CO2 label applies to products certified by the Carbon Trust, that are lowering their carbon emissions year after year for the full lifecycle of the product. The Carbon Trust was formed in 2001 and introduced the world’s first carbon label in 2007. It produces its certifications to global leading and independently verified standards. The Carbon Trust has a mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low carbon economy.

Learn more about this certification

Purchase options and add-ons

Advanced 4K streaming - Elevate your entertainment with the next generation of our best-selling 4K stick, with improved streaming performance.
Wi-Fi 6 support - Enjoy smooth 4K streaming, even when other devices are connected to your router.
Cinematic experience - Watch in vibrant 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio.
Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, and more. Subscription fees may apply.
Stream for free - Access over 300,000 free movies and TV episodes from popular ad-supported streaming apps like Fire TV Channels, Amazon Freevee, Tubi, and Pluto TV.
Enjoy MGM+ on us - Receive a 6-month subscription to MGM+, including access to thousands of Hollywood movies and Original series with your Fire TV purchase. Terms apply.
Alexa Voice Remote - Quickly find, launch, and control content with your voice. Get to your favorite apps with preset buttons, and control TV power and volume with one remote.
Do more with your smart home - Control compatible devices like cameras, lights, and more with your remote. Press and ask Alexa to check the weather or dim the lights.
Your device

Smart home devices for you

Smart Lighting
Security Cameras
Plugs and outlets
Smart locks
Wifi and Networking

"Alexa, turn on the lights."

Amazon Basics Smart A19 LED Light Bulb, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, 7.5W (Equivalent to 60W) 800LM, Works with Alexa Only, 1-Pack, Multico

Customers also bought these items from Amazon Devices

Amazon Ethernet Adapter for Amazon Fire TV Devices

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

Reducing CO2 products reduce their carbon footprint year after year. Certified by the Carbon Trust.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max streaming device, supports Wi-Fi 6E, free & live TV without cable or satellite

An ultra-cinematic 4K experience

From playoffs to premieres, experience it all like you're there with support for cinematic 4K Ultra HD. Experience vivid color and brightness with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, immersive sound with Dolby Atmos, and smooth streaming with Wi-Fi 6. Add compatible Echo speakers for a complete Alexa Home Theater.

The next generation of our most popular 4K streaming stick

Upgrade your 4K streaming experience with Fire TV Stick 4K—now powered by a quad-core 1.7 GHz processor for faster app starts, and more fluid navigation. It makes getting to the good stuff even easier—all for an affordable price.

Wi-Fi 6 support

Dolby Vision.Atmos

Press and Ask Alexa

Enjoy smooth 4K streaming in your home

Our most popular streaming stick now supports Wi-Fi 6 for smooth 4K streaming, with less interference from other connected devices. To use Wi-Fi 6, you’ll need a compatible router like the eero Pro 6. If you have a Wi-Fi 6E router, we recommend Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Fire TV Stick 4K works with earlier wifi routers, too.

Reduces network congestion for smoother video streaming across multiple devices.

Fast speeds

Enjoy fast speeds and low latency when streaming 4K content or playing games in the cloud.

Supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, so you can connect to the least-crowded frequency.

Over 1.5 million movies and TV episodes

Enjoy favorites from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+, Peacock, STARZ, Paramount+, and others. Stream live TV, news, and sports, and even watch for free with Pluto TV, Amazon Freevee, YouTube, and more. Plus, play millions of songs through services like Amazon Music, and Spotify.

Subscription fees may apply.

Stream free movies, shows, and clips

Power on and start watching a world of free entertainment through ad-supported streaming apps like YouTube, Amazon Freevee, Tubi, and Pluto TV. You can access over 300,000 movies and TV episodes without paying for subscriptions. And, the new Fire TV Channels hub brings you free news clips, sports highlights, music videos, movie trailers, cooking tips, comedy bits, gaming videos, and more.

From smart home control to smart living

Control compatible smart home devices right from your TV. You can press and ask Alexa to do things like show Live View Picture-in-Picture camera feeds without interrupting your show, check the weather, order a pizza, and stream music. And Fire TV is always getting smarter with new Alexa Skills and voice functionality. Learn more about compatible smart home devices.

“Alexa, show my nursery camera.”

Smart Camera

Alexa Voice Remote with TV controls

Just press and ask Alexa to find, launch, and control content, or even switch to cable. Quickly get to favorite apps with preset buttons, and go beyond streaming to check sports scores and play music. Dedicated power and volume buttons control your compatible TV, soundbar, and receiver.

Simple to set up and use

Plug Fire TV Stick 4K directly into your HDMI input.

Attach power cable, and plug into wall outlet.

Pair remote with TV, connect to internet, and enjoy.

Designed for Sustainability

We measure this device's carbon footprint and look for opportunities to reduce its emissions at every stage of its life cycle. Figures are for FTV Stick 4K 2nd gen, not including any other versions or any bundled accessories or devices. We update the carbon footprint when we discover new information that changes the estimated carbon footprint of a device by more than 5%.

See Fire TV Stick 4K fact sheet

Carbon Footprint

33kg CO 2 e total carbon emissions

Fire TV Stick and remote made from 22% recycled materials. 100% recyclable packaging (shipping packaging not included).

Low Power Mode reduces energy consumption when idle, except in certain situations . We also invest in renewable energy that, by 2025, will be equivalent to this device's electricity usage.

Trade-in and Recycle

Built to last. But when you're ready, you can trade-in or recycle your devices. Explore Amazon Second Chance .

Compare Fire TV Streaming Devices

Technical details, fire tv stick 4k (2nd gen), alexa voice remote (3rd gen).

Videos for this product

Click to play video

Should You Buy? Fire TV Stick 4K vs 4K Max with WiFi 6E #thisorthat

Should You Buy?

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K - Watch Before You Buy

The Product Lab

FireTV Stick - Watch before you buy it!

🟠🟢 LGJ Reviews 🟢🟠

First impressions of the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Honest Review of Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K w/ USB Power Cable

Michael Morsillo

Looking for specific info?

Customer reviews.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the picture quality, streaming system, and value of the digital device. They mention that it provides a good value for money, and is easy to install and use. Some are happy with ease of installation, and responsiveness. Opinions are mixed on performance, and connectivity.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the installation process of the digital device to be easy. They say it walks them through the setup, is user-friendly, and easy to operate. Customers also mention that the remote control features are easy to apply and use, and the menu and voice search feature are easy.

"...It's intuitive and user-friendly , making it easy to navigate through the vast content library. The voice remote with Alexa is a game-changer...." Read more

"...But Amazon really makes it easy to set up among its products. By the way, Samsung tv’s in 2017 did not allow fioptics app on their tvs...." Read more

"...Contains all my favorite streaming apps. Easy to apply the remote control features following the instructions on the screen...." Read more

"...fire stick makes it easy to find what you’re looking for with its easy to use menu and voice search feature. The voice feature is awesome...." Read more

Customers like the responsiveness of the digital device. They say it's much faster, apps load quickly, and switching between content is seamless. They also say it boots at least twice as fast, is quick to answer phone calls, and is ready to use in no time. Customers also say that it solves all of the loading issues they were having.

"... Apps load quickly , and switching between content is seamless. The device has handled everything I’ve thrown at it without any lag...." Read more

"...Found my cable provider to download and it works fast . Have all my paid apps and free apps. Amazon even provides a live tv. But mostly fix stuff...." Read more

"...The responsiveness is quick and efficient ...." Read more

"...That’s me!The performance is great . The picture quality is awesome, and I haven't experienced any lag or buffering issues...." Read more

Customers appreciate the value of the digital device. They mention it provides a good value for money, is worth the buy, and saves them a lot of money. They also say it's easy to install and use, and is cheap to replace. Customers say it is a great purchase for their home and allows access to all the streaming apps. They say the free content is the best part.

"...to a vast library of content, the Fire TV Stick 4K offers incredible value for money ...." Read more

"...it just might be the Altafiber fiber optics company. But the product is good ...." Read more

"...I would be spending and chose accordingly so this one provided a good value for money while meeting my needs." Read more

"...This was a great purchase for my home and it allows access to all the streaming apps I use. The price can’t be beat.So long, cable TV!" Read more

Customers like the quality of the digital device. They say it's well-made, reliable, and can withstand regular use. Customers also say the quality movies and programs viewed are excellent.

"...Value for Money: Considering the quality , performance, and access to a vast library of content, the Fire TV Stick 4K offers incredible value for..." Read more

"...The available content is surprising ...." Read more

"...But it does help you keep your mind busy and choosing what show you want to watch next...." Read more

"...So why am I on my third Firestick? Because they wear out in 3-4 years . They will start buffering and losing internet connectivity...." Read more

Customers like the picture quality of the digital device. They say it has a super clear picture, excellent graphics, and stunning visuals. They are also impressed with the video quality, saying it's crisp and clear. Overall, customers are happy with the picture and sound quality of this digital device, which supports 4K Ultra HD, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio.

"...of the essence with streaming devices, and the Fire TV Stick 4K doesn’t disappoint . Apps load quickly, and switching between content is seamless...." Read more

"...That’s me!The performance is great. The picture quality is awesome , and I haven't experienced any lag or buffering issues...." Read more

"...With support for 4K Ultra HD , HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio, you'll feel like you're right in the middle of the action from the comfort of your own..." Read more

"...It has a good picture on ordinary rental TVs . It was easy to set up at home before we took it on its first trip...." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the streaming capabilities of the digital device. They mention that it has impressive streaming capabilities, and the features are the very best for streaming. They say that the streaming is seamless, easy to navigate, and able to enjoy streaming live TV, latest movies, and TV shows. They also appreciate the great streaming quality, and say that switching between menus and different streaming options is nearly instantaneous.

"...to the all-new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, and it has completely transformed my streaming experience ...." Read more

"...The streaming and video quality is excellent ...However:The bad thing is that the audio/ sound quality is horrible...." Read more

"...movies and TV episodes, support for Wi-Fi 6, and the ability to watch free and live TV , this powerful device offers endless entertainment options in..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the performance of the digital device. Some mention that it performs satisfactorily, is pleased with the functionality it provides, and has no problems so far. Others say that it doesn't work, the Photos app on the all-new 4K stick doesn''t play, and hangs up while loading.

"...Value for Money: Considering the quality, performance , and access to a vast library of content, the Fire TV Stick 4K offers incredible value for..." Read more

"...It’s easier to use. The app for fioptics works fine exactly like my TiVo co box. Can’t save on it. I did not see a record button...." Read more

"...It was pitiful with the original Fire Stick ...." Read more

"...Went to use my old one and got an error message. This one works great . Easy to install and set up. Easy to navigate...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the connectivity of the digital device. Some mention that it connects easily to WiFi, Bluetooth connects immediately, and is capable of connecting to 5G Wi-Fi. However, others say that they started having connectivity issues and lagging while playing videos.

"...Now no connectivity on the new stick and the new remote works on the older stick in my bedroom. So one stick in one tv and two remotes working it...." Read more

"...This new one is fast, fast, fast. The remote didn't "attach" very smoothly , so I mostly just use the old remote, but I can pretty much use either..." Read more

"...quality, vast selection of content, and advanced features like Wi-Fi 6 support , it's the ultimate streaming device for bringing your favorite movies..." Read more

"...They will start buffering and losing internet connectivity . Not a huge deal if you know what to expect and they are cheap to replace...." Read more

Reviews with images

Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Amazon Newsletter
About Amazon
Accessibility
Sustainability
Press Center
Investor Relations
Amazon Devices
Amazon Science
Sell on Amazon
Sell apps on Amazon
Supply to Amazon
Protect & Build Your Brand
Become an Affiliate
Become a Delivery Driver
Start a Package Delivery Business
Advertise Your Products
Self-Publish with Us
Become an Amazon Hub Partner
› See More Ways to Make Money
Amazon Visa
Amazon Store Card
Amazon Secured Card
Amazon Business Card
Shop with Points
Credit Card Marketplace
Reload Your Balance
Amazon Currency Converter
Your Account
Your Orders
Shipping Rates & Policies
Amazon Prime
Returns & Replacements
Manage Your Content and Devices
Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
Your Ads Privacy Choices

Cast & crew
User reviews

In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, a... Read all In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom. In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.

Shirley Chen
5 User reviews
16 Critic reviews
77 Metascore
2 wins & 5 nominations

Chungsing Wang

Vivian Wang

(as Sunil Maurillo)

(as Dalila George August)
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

The Big List of Summer Movies

More like this

Did you know

Connections Referenced in Amanda the Jedi Show: The BEST and Weirdest Movies you (mostly) Haven't Seen Yet | Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

User reviews 5

Feb 9, 2024
July 26, 2024 (United States)
United States
Focus Features
Antigravity Academy
Endcrawl.com
Maiden Voyage
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 31 minutes

More to explore

Jessica Lange talks 'Mother Play,' Hollywood and why she nearly 'walked away from it all'

NEW YORK — Jessica Lange has a type.

Over the course of her nearly five-decade career, the stage and screen legend has memorably embodied drug-addled matriarchs (“ A Long Day’s Journey Into Night ”), volatile housewives (“ Blue Sky ”) and destitute Southern belles (“ A Streetcar Named Desire ”). Not to mention, a literal witch (" American Horror Story: Coven ").

"They're all survivors in some way," Lange says on a recent afternoon, tucked by a window and sipping a Coke in a bustling hotel lobby near Washington Square Park. “I like playing characters who are on the edge emotionally; women who have a tremendous strength, but are also teetering walking that tightrope.”

The same could be said of her latest two roles: In HBO film “ The Great Lillian Hall ,” premiering May 31 (8 p.m. EST/PST), she affectingly inhabits a lauded Broadway diva who’s diagnosed with dementia in the throes of rehearsal. And in her Tony Award-nominated “ Mother Play ,” now playing at the Hayes Theater through June 16, Lange brings prickly pathos to Phyllis, the ferocious mother of two gay children ( Celia Keenan-Bolger and Jim Parsons ).

Lange, 75, had been searching for her next Broadway vehicle ever since winning a best actress Tony for “Long Day’s Journey” in 2016. “I'd go through the repertoire of parts I could still play, now that I’m at this advanced age, and I could never come up with anything I really had a passion for doing,” she explains.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

That changed when she read Paula Vogel’s “Mother Play,” which is inspired by the playwright’s tumultuous upbringing and her brother’s death from AIDS. Lange had never originated a new character onstage, and was struck by the emotional complexity of Vogel’s script. Set over 50 years, the drama charts Phyllis’ journey as an eccentric, hard-drinking mom who constantly uproots her family. It ends with her as a lonely old women, having rejected her kids for being queer.

“You wonder sometimes what the trade-off is? Why would you shut out your children knowingly?” Lange says. “Hopefully families are more accepting now.”

Phyllis’ isolation comes to the fore in one haunting, roughly 10-minute sequence, as she wanders her now-empty home and makes a sad, microwaved dinner. Lange was elated to do the wordless scene, known as “the Phyllis Ballet”: Before she was an actress, she dropped out of college and trained as a mime in Paris in the early 1970s.

"It was one of the most thrilling times in my life," Lange says with a grin. “It's the only time I've ever consciously used that in a performance."

Ranked: 10 best new Broadway shows you need to see this summer, including 'Illinoise'

In “Lillian Hall,” Lange portrays another woman confronting mortality and her shortcomings as a parent. Weeks away from mounting a Broadway revival of Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard,” Lillian begins to experience tremors and sudden memory loss. She’s given a grim prognosis, but refuses to disclose her dementia to her loyal assistant ( Kathy Bates ) and daughter ( Lily Rabe ), who has always played second fiddle to Lillian’s career.

“I’m very fortunate that I haven’t experienced any of that kind of dementia in my family,” says Lange, who consulted with doctors on the nuances of how Lillian might move and speak. Plus, "I'll never get to do ‘The Cherry Orchard,’ so this was my opportunity to dip into the Chekhov pond.”

The project reunites the actress with Bates and Rabe after Ryan Murphy’s “ American Horror Story .” Lange starred in four seasons of the long-running FX series, earning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her delicious, scenery-chewing turns. She has not watched the latest iteration with Kim Kardashian . (“No, no,” she says with a wave. “I haven’t followed it at all.”) But she looks back with particular fondness on “ Freak Show ,” her favorite of the show’s anthology stories.

“That was kind of magical,” Lange says. “Over the years, it was really like a repertory theater company: Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, Evan Peters. You had a history together; it felt like a family.”

Along with HBO movie “ Grey Gardens ,” “American Horror Story” helped to reinvigorate Lange’s career after a self-described “dry spell” in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At the time, she was more intent on raising her three children, from exes Mikhail Baryshnikov and Sam Shepard.

“My heart wasn’t in it,” Lange recalls of working during that period. “The roles weren’t that interesting. I made a lot of mistakes saying ‘yes’ to things I shouldn’t have bothered with. That just happens at a certain age, especially for women in Hollywood. There’s always that thing in the back of an actor’s mind: ‘I should work, I should work.’ But I wish I hadn’t, because it was a waste of my time.”

She declines to name any specific projects she regrets, but speaks warmly of her earlier successes with 1982’s “ Frances ” and “ Tootsie ,” which she considers “a flawless film.” She received double Oscar nominations for the movies, winning best supporting actress for “Tootsie.”

In that moment, “I felt like, ‘OK, now I can start. Now I can get going,’” recalls Lange, who took a three-year hiatus after the poor critical reception to 1976's " King Kong ," her big-screen debut. “I was not prepared (for that). I almost walked away from it all. I was like, ‘I can’t live this way: to be a public figure, and to be constantly critiqued and judged. I don’t want anything to do with it.’”

Lange received a total of six Oscar nods in a 12-year span, winning her second for “Blue Sky” in 1995. She has long been considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation. ("She's astonishing," says her " Feud " co-star Tom Hollander. "I would just watch her thinking, 'This is how it's done.'") But lately, she's felt slightly disillusioned with Hollywood: Unlike many of her peers, she’s never been offered the superhero movies du jour, nor would she be interested.

“I don’t think any films are of the caliber of what they were in the ‘80s and ‘90s,” Lange says. “The films that I came up on, those were great stories and we had great storytellers telling them. I don’t see a lot of that now,” save for European dramas “ Anatomy of a Fall ” and “ The Zone of Interest .” “Could those films be made here? I don’t know. The film industry isn’t in great shape.”

Despite recent headlines that she's planning to retire, the Minnesota native hasn’t totally sworn off acting as long as the parts “are interesting enough.” She shot a film version of “Long Day’s Journey,” which she hopes will be released later this year. And in early 2025, she’s excited to star in a film adaptation of Joan Didion’s “ The Year of Magical Thinking .” But she gets the most joy from nature and her grandkids. And she's ready to take a well-deserved breather after “Mother Play,” which she’s found “tremendously exhausting” to perform eight times a week.

“I don’t have that drive you do when you’re young,” Lange says. “It’s still thrilling when I get onstage, but I also think, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could just sit up in the woods in my cabin? Maybe do some traveling?’” For now, “I’m looking forward to taking a really long, long, long time off.”

IMAGES

Image gallery for Song for Marion
Song for Marion (2012)
Song for Marion
Song for Marion
Film Review: Song For Marion
Song for Marion

VIDEO

Song For Marion Official Trailer #1 (2012)
Unfinished Song (Song for Marion) Official HD Trailer
SONG FOR MARION
SONG FOR MARION
Song for Marion
Song For Marion Official Trailer #1 (2012)

COMMENTS

Song for Marion
Song for Marion - review. Philip French. Sat 23 Feb 2013 19.05 EST. P aul Andrew Williams made an impressive debut in 2006 with London to Brighton, a brutally realistic crime movie that he ...
Song for Marion
Song for Marion is a 2012 British-German comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams and starring Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston and Vanessa Redgrave.The film was released as Unfinished Song in the United States.. The film was nominated for three awards—Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress—at the 2012 British Independent Film Awards.
Unfinished Song
Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/02/24 Full Review Ashley H Unfinished Song is an okay film. It is about a grumpy pensioner pensioner who honors his recently deceased wife's passion ...
Song for Marion: Toronto Review
September 11, 2012 9:37pm. TORONTO — Less sentimental than it sounds but not by much, Paul Andrew Williams 's Song for Marion presents Terence Stamp as a senior citizen convinced to sing with ...
Song For Marion (2012) Movie Review from Eye for Film
You could likely plot the last two-thirds of the film yourself, but what it lacks in originality, Song For Marion makes up in heart. The acting from Redgrave and Stamp is sublime, there's never a bum emotional note. Redgrave has played some of history's most assertive women, from Sylvia Pankhurst to Mary, Queen of Scots, but here finds the ...
Song for Marion 2013, directed by Paul Andrew Williams
A marvellously insightful portrait of male emotional reticence lurks within an otherwise doggedly conventional feelgood drama in this change of pace for writer-director Paul Andrew Williams ...
Song For Marion Review
Song For Marion Review. His wife Marion's (Redgrave) fading health doing little for his bah-humbugging outlook on life, Arthur (Stamp) grouchily agrees to step in and help out on the local choir ...
Song For Marion
By Tim Grierson, Senior US Critic 11 September 2012. Dir/scr: Paul Andrew Williams. UK. 2012. 93mins. Song For Marion is aggressively sentimental and predictable — and its target audience won ...
‎Song for Marion (2012) directed by Paul Andrew Williams • Reviews
Like School of Rock crossed with Michael Haneke's Amour, Song for Marion is a touching, tender and quite heartbreaking story. The sillier aspects, like the oldies acting "street", don't quite sit well with the heavier moments, but otherwise this film, a departure for writer/director Paul Andrew Williams after London to Brighton and The Cottage, hit all the right notes (PUN!).
'Song for Marion' review
Song for Marion review: Terence Stamp sings his heart out. Terence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave sing their hearts out in this low-key comedy drama. Director: Paul Andrew Williams; Screenwriter: Paul ...
Song for Marion Review
Local choir saves old soul in the simplest of ways. Song for Marion is a little English film but a big package. Which is to say it has Vanessa Redgrave and Terence Stamp in it. To cineastes of a ...
Unfinished Song (2012)
Unfinished Song: Directed by Paul Andrew Williams. With Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton, Barry Martin. Grumpy pensioner Arthur honors his recently deceased wife's passion for performing by joining the unconventional local choir to which she used to belong, a process that helps him build bridges with his estranged son, James.
Movie review of Song for Marion
There is some coarse language in this movie, including: Frequent use of "bloody" and "shit"; "crap"; "arse" In a nutshell. Song for Marion is a heart-warming film that highlights the difficulties that come with change and ageing. Arthur is a man who has shut off his emotions in an attempt to cope with the imminent death of his ...
Song for Marion Review 2012
By focussing on the emotional bleakness in this story, writer-director Williams manages to find some interesting moments in a film that otherwise seems contrived to reach fans of heartwarming fare ...
Song For Marion
Song For Marion. Director: Paul Andrew Williams. Actors: Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston. Release Date: Monday 30th November -0001. Genre (s): Drama. Running time: 90 minutes ...
Song for Marion
A heart-warming story about living life to the full with a dazzling all-star cast. Grumpy pensioner Arthur (Terence Stamp) is reluctantly persuaded by his beloved wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to join her highly unconventional local choir. When his relationship breaks down with his son James (Christopher Eccleston) it is left to colourful choir director Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) to try and ...
Song For Marion
Song For Marion. Details: 2012, UK, Cert PG, 93 mins. Direction: Paul Andrew Williams. ... Song for Marion - video review. Video (4min 50sec), Xan Brooks, Catherine Shoard and Henry Barnes review ...
Song for Marion Movie: Showtimes, Review, Songs, Trailer, Posters, News
Song for Marion is a English movie released on 21 Jun, 2013. The movie is directed by Paul Andrew Williams and featured Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton, Terence Stam and Christopher Eccleston as ...
'Challengers' star Mike Faist is from Ohio. More about the actor and
Mike Faist, one of the stars of the 2024 movie 'Challengers,' was born and raised in Gahanna, Ohio. Faist's acting passions began with movies, theater, and dancing, and he participated in theater ...
Redd Kross 'Born Innocent' Documentary: Film Review
At a time when most other American punk bands were shouting about hating the police and having no values, Red Cross' first EP, released in 1980 (and soon the target of a legal letter that led to ...
'Emilia Perez' Review: Zoe Saldaña in Jacques Audiard's Crime Musical
Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Karla Sofia Gascón star in Jacques Audiard's queer crime musical 'Emilia Perez,' about a drug lord's transformation.
Between the Temples (2024)
Between the Temples: Directed by Nathan Silver. With Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Dolly De Leon, Caroline Aaron. A cantor in a crisis of faith finds his world turned upside down when his grade school music teacher re-enters his life as his new adult Bat Mitzvah student.
An Extraordinary Documentary About the Most Precious of Lives
Ensconced in her apartment above the all-male Adonis Theater, Wilson, who died in 1994, held court among entertainers, Mafia dons, a roster of possible female lovers and shopping bags stuffed with ...
Kevin Costner's 'Horizon: An American Saga' Is a Relic of the '90s
The colonial question at the heart of the genre is thus immediately introduced in Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1, the first film in Kevin Costner's epic four-movie series (the second ...
All-new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device
Stream for free - Access over 300,000 free movies and TV episodes from popular ad-supported streaming apps like Fire TV Channels, Amazon Freevee, Tubi, and Pluto TV. Enjoy MGM+ on us - Receive a 6-month subscription to MGM+, including access to thousands of Hollywood movies and Original series with your Fire TV purchase. Terms apply.
Dìdi (2024)
Dìdi: Directed by Sean Wang. With Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Zhang Li Hua. In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.
Jessica Lange talks 'Mother Play' Broadway, HBO movie 'Lillian Hall'
Along with HBO movie "Grey Gardens," "American Horror Story" helped to reinvigorate Lange's career after a self-described "dry spell" in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At the time ...

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Movies / TV

Unfinished Song

What to Know

Critics Reviews

More Like This

Eye For Film >> Movies >> Song For Marion (2012) Film Review

Song For Marion

Song for Marion

Time Out says

Release Details

Cast and crew

Song For Marion Review

Related Articles

Your browser is not supported

Subscribe to Screen International

Song For Marion

Related articles

UK and Ireland box office preview: ‘Furiosa’, ‘The Garfield Movie’ face off

Coralie Fargeat’s Cannes Competition title ‘The Substance’ scores multiple international deals

UK-Ireland film cinema release dates: latest updates for 2024

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Add to your films…

Add to lists

Where to watch

Open your heart. Find your voice.

Director Director

Producers Producers

Writer Writer

Cinematography Cinematography

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Composer Composer

Sound Sound

Costume Design Costume Design

Makeup Makeup

Primary Language

Releases by Date

Popular reviews

Similar Films

Select your preferred poster

Song for Marion review: Terence Stamp sings his heart out

.css-15yqwdi:before{top:0;width:100%;height:0.25rem;content:'';position:absolute;background-image:linear-gradient(to right,#51B3E0,#51B3E0 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 5rem,#E5E54F 5rem,#E5E54F 7.5rem,black 7.5rem,black);} Reviews

Song for Marion Review

Song for Marion

Short takes

Overall comments and recommendations

ACCM review

A synopsis of the story

Themes info

Use of violence info

Material that may scare or disturb children

Aged five to eight info

Aged eight to thirteen info

Thirteen and over info

Product placement

Nudity and sexual activity

Use of substances

Coarse language

In a nutshell

Movie Review Search

Alphabetical:

Classifications:

Date added:

CMA thanks the Romeo family for its support

Movie Reviews

Song for Marion

Facts and Figures

Cast & Crew

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review