I. Analyze the given synopsis, jot down it strong and weak points, produce your own synopsis of the film.

Ben Marshall (Rupert Grint), a seventeen-and-a-half year old boy, was struggling to become a young man. Although living in what appeared to be a strong Christian household, Ben was urging to break away from his overpowering mother and a push-over father. Ben, a struggling poet, finds a housekeeping job for a retired actress named Evie (Julie Walters). Ben, who comes from a house of constant fighting, is very sad when he meets Evie. Despite his unhappiness, Ben opens up his heart and becomes close to Evie, making her feel cheerful after the longest time of being unhappy from horrors in her past. Not only does Ben housekeep for Evie, he also accompanies her on other events like camping trips where they spend time quoting plays with one another and just plain having fun. It doesn’t take long for Evie to realize that she needs Ben in every aspect in her life, and he needs Evie, too, and in the end, Evie helps Ben become the man he wants to be.

CAST

Rupert Grint ... Ben Marshall

Laura Linney ... Laura Marshall

Nicholas Farrell ... Robert Marshall

Jim Norton ... Mr. Fincham

Julie Walters ... Evie Walton

Oliver Milburn ... Peter

Tamsin Egerton ... Sarah

Extensive Viewing

II. Think and answer the questions:

1) What are your first impressions of Ben?

2) How can you characterize the atmosphere in Ben’s family? The relations between his parents? Does the boy feel comfortable at home?

3) It is generally assumed that every person is a result of his/her upbringing. Try to prove it on the example of Ben. How can you describe the relations between Ben and his mother? Ben and his father? What are their methods of child rearing?

4) What is the essence of Robert Marshall’s sermon in church? Do you agree with his words?

5) Ben’s mother is considered to be a truly religious woman. Can you prove that she is a hypocrite rather than an ideal parishioner?

6) What do you make of Mr Fincham? What role does he play in the story?

7) What are Ben’s feelings when Evie first involves him in dramatizing in the garden? Why does she do it?

8) Why does Evie insist on a two-days camping? What is the result of it?

9) Why does Ben tell the girl that Evie is his grandmother? Is it only a pretext to explain his duties? Or do they have something in common?

10) How does Evie manage to reveal Ben’s real self? What rules does she make him break? What for?

11) What is Laura’s reaction when Ben finally gets home? How would you react in such a situation?

12) What are Laura’s tricks to make her son feel constantly guilty? Does she succeed in her efforts?

13) At first Laura is glad that Ben is working for Evie, but after a while she calls him a betrayer and forbids him to visit the old lady. What is the true reason for such a change, in your opinion?

14) Why do you think Bryony from the Literary Festival got so attracted to young, awkward and shy Ben that they went out and spent a night together?

15) Are there any changes after Ben’s trip to Scotland?

16) What are Ben’s future plans? Why is Evie so pleased with them?

17) Ben’s personality is changed greatly in the course of the film. Some alternations can be seen in his father’s character. What about his mother? Prove your point of view.

18) In your opinion, would Ben’s mother / father be able to become his friend later on or would their relations become even more distant?

19) In your opinion, how will Ben treat his own children?

20) The title of the film can be explained in several different ways. Which ones?

21) Some points of British everyday life and culture: A. Why do Evie and Ben mention working class, middle class, lower middle class, etc, when they are talking about their families in the camp in the shop? Why is that worth mentioning? B. When people are learning to drive, what sign do they put on their car: in Britain; in Russia?

22) We hear the Scottish accent in the movie when the action takes place in Edinburgh. Scotland has not only different words for things, but different pronunciations for words. The most common pronunciation problem people visiting Scotland have is with the soft ‘ch’, as in ‘loch’. The ‘r’ is normally rolled at the front of the mouth so ‘car’ is pronounced as carrrr, not as the Anglified ‘ka’. Some words are shortened, losing bits that slow their roll off the tongue, so ‘awfully’ becomes offy and ‘cannot’ becomes ‘canny’. What Scottish accent traits do you hear in the movie?

23) In the movie we hear Ben asking the direction to the Presbyterian Hall. How does the by passer give the right direction?

(- Presbyterian Hall off Market Street? – Straight on, second on the right.)

What expressions do we use to ask and give directions?

Asking for and Giving Directions:

How do I get to …?

What’s the best way to …?

Where is …?

Go straight on (until you come to …).

Turn back./Go back.

Turn left/right (into …-street).

Go along …

Cross …

Take the first/second road on the left/right

It’s on the left/right.

Straight on

opposite

near

next to

between

at the end (of)

on/at the corner

behind

in front of

(just) around the corner

Practice the given expressions in mini-dialogues with your partner.

Intensive Viewing

III. Listen and try to catch where the following words and collocations are used in the film; jot their context down and memorize them:

· hand brake

· roundabout

· dashboard

· seat belt

· academics

· just a few things to iron out

· to ask for shelter

· to strive to do good

· an escort

· to make it a policy to do smth.

· Dame

· sexual assault

· canapé

· eucalyptus tree

· panto

· on second thought

· skylark, chirrup

· social autism

· your prices are beyond us

· succor

· camping stove

· - Where on earth have you been?

- Got held up. (to get held up)

· to tidy around

· to puke

· the Bard

· be that as it may

· TV work

· drama series

· to audition

· to be born to smth

· How intriguing!

· at the most

· - Night, Dad.

- Night-night, Ben.

· bags of time

· urchin

· campfire food

· to take down the tent (ant. to put up a tent)

· the spare set (of keys)

· on a full stomach (ant. on an empty stomach)

· to be underage

· to make of someone or something (What do your parents make of Sarah?)

· don’t hurry your heart

· a learner driver

· a motorist

· to have an untreatable condition

· to check in

· to be run off one’s feet

· venue

· a catchphrase

· to be a regular occurrence

· anthology of love poetry

· kitsch

· literary circles

· uptight

· twit

· to stay in

· She means it.

· to remember the lines

· to have smb. on

· to keep a promise

· an emotional cripple

· to make sth up

· to be in the middle of nowhere

· little cretin

· meningitis

· to have a particular way of speaking

· to catch a bus

· to trick smb into doing smth

· wicked

· an appropriate job

· to stick by smb.

· to be on the road to recovery

· to be one’s own man

· denouement

· economy car

· to stand up for oneself

· to get a bit of space

IV. Try and get who says these remarks and in what situations. Be ready to reproduce them in class:

1) – True faith is the freedom to choose the truth.

2) – The thing is you don’t understand the jealousy till you strangle somebody yourself.

– Oh, well, you see, the poetry – the pain.

3) – Camping? Why on earth would anyone want to go camping?

– ...to escape.

4) – There’s no time left!

– There’s always time.

5) – My mother's gonna kill me. You don't understand. She said I wasn't to come. I asked and she said no. You don't say yes when your mother says no, you don't do it!

6) – Well... how old are you?

– Seventeen and a half.

– So young and so pedantic... One glass. You can tell God I forced you.

7) – I am a woman, Liland, not an oil-tanker!

8) – I think it's best I stop working for you.

– Oh, why? So you can take up being pompous professionally?

9) – I don’t suppose you’re familiar with a notion of kitsch. It’s rather popular in literary circles.

10) – Life is confusing. Just when we think it’s all over, it throws on a view like this. And we don’t know where we are.

11) – She isn’t wicked.

– She’s an actress! I think that says enough.

12) – No, I don’t wanna be a Tree, no more! No! I’m gonna be a MAN.

13) – And your parents?

– They are my parents.

– Yes.

14) – It’s not Shakespeare.

– No, dear. But it’s lovely. And it’s you.

Post-Viewing

V. Read a Shakespeare Sonnet 29 "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes" that Evie has been reciting at a Literary Festival. Learn the sonnet by heart and recite it imitating Evie’s manner.

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself, and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least:

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee,--and then my state

(Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings'.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare Love Sonnets

(1564 - 1616)

VI. Make a character sketch of:

- Ben Marshall (show the evolution of his character);

- Laura Marshall;

- Evie Walton.