Sixty Six (2006)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Paul Weiland

Writers:

Bridget O'Connor (writer)
Peter Straughan (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 2006 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

It was Bernie's big day, but there was a little competition.

Plot:

A boy's barmitzvah looks set to be a disaster when it coincides with the 1966 World Cup Final. |

Plot Keywords:

World Cup | 1960s | Doctor | Bar Mitzvah | Year In Title

Cast

Helena Bonham Carter	...	Esther Reubens
Eddie Marsan	...	Manny Reubens
Gregg Sulkin	...	Bernie Reubens
Thomas Drewson	...	Terry Shivers
Matt Bardock	...	Mr. Grieg
Alex Black	...	Linton
Cameron Crighton	...	Captain
Catherine Tate	...	Aunt Lila
Peter Serafinowicz	...	Uncle Jimmy / Mr. Rubens Snr. / Football Commentary
Charlie Clark	...	Boy with Caliper
Nick Shrim	...	Michael Hempel
Francine Simmons	...	Lady at Door
Martin Savage	...	Senior Doctor
Ony Uhiara	...	Nurse
Charles Ferber	...	Student Doctor

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, some sexual content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

UK:93 min | USA:93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

It Is Now Film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: To demonstrate his hatred of the England football team, Paul throws darts at a photograph of the players in their red shirts midway through the competition. However, the photo in question was taken after the final was played. Furthermore, in relation to the film's timescale, when the scene takes place neither the team or the choice of kit had been decided upon.

Movie Connections:

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

Deserves to be more well-known than it is

Judging by the number of votes and comments on this site, it looks as if Paul Weiland's amusing little comedy has been sorely overlooked. It's a shame, because this is the type of film we Brits probably do best: small and personal and centred around a nostalgic remembrance of family. As the film is also based around events leading up to England's victorious World Cup campaign of 1966, it is probably less likely to appeal to people from overseas. That's a shame, because the theme of the story – which admittedly doesn't really come to the fore until the final reel – is much more universal: the relationship between a young boy and his father.

The humour in this film is of the gentle kind (although the sight of Manny Rubens driving his Austin 1100 (I think) at 25mph with a big Alsatian standing on the bonnet had me laughing out loud), and may not be suitable for those who don't have at least a dim recollection of the era it depicts (at 45, I'm too young to remember the Cup final of '66 but much of the painstaking recreation of the time reminds me of my own childhood). The attention to detail is flawless, really transporting the viewer back to England in the mid-60s.

The performances are appealing throughout. Eddie Marsen, as the boy's hapless father, steals the show by a mile, while Helena Bonham-Carter plays against type as his wife. In fact, given the type of role she is better known for, she is extremely good here, managing to capture the essence of a young Jewish mother without turning her character into a stereotype.