Ali & Ava

Writer-director Clio Barnard's latest film was BAFTA-nominated for Outstanding British Film, and Akhtar as Ali was nominated as well. And, with an equally beguiling turn from Rushbrook as Ali & Ava's other central lead, it's easy to see why this unassuming story about two lonely people finding love has made such an impact. The story is so incredibly warm, both in the performances from the actors and in the fondness shown to its local northern England setting, that it's hard not to root for the pair to step free of their own emotional burdens to find hope once again. The duo are ably supported by a cast of complex characters that inhabit the small but affectionately formed world Ali and Ava find themselves in.

There are plenty of moments that could trip the film up -- like Ali inviting kids that throw stones at his car to an impromptu disco in the parking lot, Ali playing the folk songs that Ava likes on his ukulele on the train, or Ava's mother-and-son karaoke session. But they're handled with such lightness and, most importantly, truth that they sidestep any cutesy, eye-rolling feeling of cliché, instead just offering tender moments of real human connection. While there are serious subjects at play, there are also moments of humor that add unexpected nuance throughout and make this an enjoyable British drama, full of local spirit.