ALLELUJAH
Director: Richard Eyre
Cast: Jennifer Sanders, Bally Gill,
David Bradley, Russell Tovey,
Jesse Akele, Louis Ashbourne Serkis,
Eileen Davies, Judi Dench, Patricia England, Derek Jacobi
Rating: (M) ★★★★+
REVIEWED BY CHRISTINE POWLEY
The storyline in Allelujah (Rialto and Metro) is a bait and switch.
We start off thinking we know what we are getting, a lot of loveable oldies being cared for by saintly NHS workers. The Beth is a beloved hospital up North which is on the hit list of the soulless Tory government, even though it is creaking at the seams from excess demand.
One of the new patients, Joe (David Bradley), is a former miner and union man and his son Colin (Russell Tovey) has gone bad - moved to London and become a management consultant. Heck, he’s even the one who suggested that The Beth is ripe for shutting down.
Spending time with each other they start to reform their bond and Colin sees that a hospital is much more than figures failing to add up on a balance sheet.
So far we are all having a jolly time, zingers delivered by old pros and a cosy feeling that the caring professions still do.
So, when it comes, the big plot pivot is not especially welcome, we wanted to keep our illusions and the dollop of reality is, for most of us, a step way too far.
However, the plot played fair with us. The thing we saw and barely registered gets repeated and, just like Jimmy Savile, when we look back it was hiding in plain sight. It might not be what we signed on for but it is almost made bearable by some rather clever understated acting.
However, one change of tone is not enough for Allelujah and it ends with a rather overwrought soliloquy that I could have done without.
