Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution Details

[Highly rated reviewer]

From Bingley to Berlin and back...

Based on real events this quietly comedic film intruduces us to a Yorkshire family, the 'Ratcliffes' in the latter part of the 1960s. Mr Ratcliffe is a devout socialist who decides to take his family of two daughters (one supportively socialist, one a free spirited rebellious 60 love child), his brother in law (shy retiring and suffering from bad nerves), and wife (lovingly plain and homely). Over to the Eastern Block to persue a career in teaching in what he hopes and expects to be a communist idyll, where everything is based on sharing and looking after your fellow comerades. Having arrived in East Germany, the reality of the dour living and working conditions, and the opressive regime, soon take the gloss off the families aspirations. Having however burned their UK passports in a public display of eschewing Western values, how will they ever be able to return across the iron curtain and to some sort of normality. Enter the resourceful Mrs Ratcliffe (very well played by Catherine Tate) to try and save the day. At that I will leave it for fear of ruining what is a quietly excellent and interesting film, well worth a watch.

Okay, but could have been better

I was intrigued by the premise of this film, particularly as it was a fresh idea. However, the story lacks depth in several places, & by the end I began to question how much realism was left in the plot. The last scene is very far-fetched & contrived, & the portrayal of East Germany descends into caricature. Catherine Tate does a very good job of her role & there are some other good performances, but the film as a vehicle lets the cast down.

It's worth a look, so long as you don't expect too much from it.If you have a hankering for a good 'Ostalgie' movie then watch the near-perfect 'Goodbye, Lenin!', which gets the balance right on every level.