Kareena Shubaly

I saw this film many years ago and found the movie entertaining. The acting was terrific. This time I found that the film a bit creepy. It is about control, societal norms and especially accepting and living our life as it is. Fantasy is not reality. The brother is crass and talks about women in a derogatory manner. There is the stereotypical stepfather who appears on the surface very affable, yet his controlling nature is seen in how he continues to make fun of the dog in spite of Calvins protests. It appears from the slight of mouth mother comments, that the actual husband was controlling as well. The mother is still being controlled by her partner. The same may have occurred with her first husband as we hear her singing accolades of him. And now, she does the same with her present partner applauding his furniture skills, when in fact the chair he gives to Calvin is crass. She also credits her partner with the garden. This woman does not appear to have her own identity and has relied on mens ideas not her own. Calvin is forced to take the chair, which he despises. Of course Calvin has to create an ideal woman. Most people in his life have disappointed him or controlled him. Understandably, he brings his fantasy to life and when things start to break down with her he feels sorry for himself and visits the sins of the father trying to control her and pretending things are okay. Ruby acts as a wonderful foil and challenges his fantastical ideal view of love. As she becomes more independent, he decides to write changes in the story where she becomes extremely dependent on him and then is constantly joyful and acting like a child. He is unsatisfied no matter how he much he changes the story. His controlling nature surfaces. In the end, as Calvin faces his real life and stops creating a fantasy life, the film becomes a story of restoration, reconciliation, and acceptance of his life as it is. It is wonderfully acted and a beautiful ending.

I have watched the film Recovery, twice. Last time I sobbed and this time I cried like a baby. David Tennant has a remarkable ability to do that. He did that with There She Goes and Single Father. His characterizations are so well done, that I forget he is David Tennant. A plethora of feelings swept over me that I could not contain and after watching all three films, I just sat in a puddle of tears. There is always an underline theme of hope; that life can go on as long as we don’t give up on hope… I could go on about all his incredible acting. Frankly, I have not seen this calibre of acting since Alan Rickman. My son, in his 30’s and I grieved for days. And he will always remain in both our hearts. Mr. Tennant has become my sons and my favourite actor. Maybe it is being Canadian that makes me love so many British and foreign films. I get an opportunity to think and feel what is going on. Or maybe, it was having Monty Python thrust upon me at an early age. Many American films do not give me many opportunities to do the same. And unless they have some of Britain’s finest in them, they pale by comparison. My only regret was that I did not move from the Prairies to Sidney BC until after Gracepoint was filmed in Victoria and my beautiful town of Sidney BC. Darn. Otherwise, I might have had an opportunity to actually meet Mr. Tennant. Ca la vie. Such is life. Thank you David Tennant for creating a font of entertainment and characterization. My life is richer because of your superb acting and films like Recovery. Kareena Shubaly Sidney BC Canada

So many people when discussing the moral content of the film, seem to be unaware that the show was based on a much earlier movie with Jeremy Irons called Damage. I was quite disappointed that this script did not allow Richard Armitage to shine as he did in North and South, The Hobbit movies, The Vicar of Dipley and Spooks. He works hard at his craft. I am looking forward to his book release in Canada in October. Kareena Shubaly