Parents' Guide to

Ladies in Lavender

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

1930s British period drama has occasional language, smoking.

Movie PG-13 2005 104 minutes
Ladies in Lavender Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

age 12+
Very well acted with two great women, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith with the beautiful countryside of Cornwall. Music is very much part of the film. The film missed an opportunity to develop the story of the young Polish violin player. It would have been good to know how he ended up on a beach in Cornwall. Some hints were given, the fact that he wanted to get to America but nothing about a supposed ship wreck. Or was he just fleeing Poland three years before the start of the Second World War. Nothing was done about reporting him to the authorities until nearly the end. Surely he would have been missed by someone!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

The two Dames at the heart of the movie could hold viewers' attention making tea, and it's their performances that elevate what is otherwise a consistent, but not particularly memorable production. In Ladies in Lavender, as sisters cohabiting into old age, Dench and Smith perfectly portray the ease and warmth, as well as the petty grievances and rivalries that rear their heads when their household is set aflutter by a new arrival. Margoyles is characteristically likable as the no-nonsense housekeeper, who doesn't suffer fools gladly, and Bruhl is full of wide-eyed charm as the youngster at the center of everyone's attention.

The backdrop is spectacular -- all colorful gardens, glistening sea views, and a wistful rugged coastline. But take that away, along with the strong performances from the cast, and you're left with a mild and warm film, but one that you're unlikely to continually revisit.

Movie Details

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