Genre Guesstimation – 49 Up (2005)

The idea behind this feature (Genre Guesstimation) is for me to watch a bunch of new movies (or ones that I haven’t seen many times) from the chosen monthly GG genre in order to expand my knowledge of movies within that particular genre.

This month’s Genre has been chosen by Quiggy of The Midnite Drive-In and it is Documentary Films.

Please get me your submissions by the 25th of Dec by sending them to docuquiggy@movierob.net

Try to think out of the box!

Let’s see if I felt that this movie would be worthy of being in the company of my others favorite movies in the genre of Documentary Films.…

“I see that life comes once, and it’s quite short. You have to appreciate what’s good in it. And if I could just tell a short story: I was just sunbathing and a butterfly landed quite close to me. It had beautiful wings, with deep red colors, and white sort-of circles on them… these creatures don’t last very long. But it landed very close to me, it didn’t seem frightened. It just seemed delighted opening and closing its wings, and just actually being beautiful for that period of time, enjoying the sunshine. Perhaps there isn’t actually any more to life than that, and just being what you are. You must realize that life goes all around, and there are millions of other creatures who must find their parts as well.” – Neil

Number of Times Seen – 1 (20 Dec 2018)

Brief Synopsis – A look at the same group of 14 seven year old children 7 years after the previous update on their lives when they were 49 years old.

My Take on it – This is a film series that I was quite interested in seeing because of the overall premise.

I didn’t know what to expect and feared that this might get boring watching the way that these people grow up over the years but the exact opposite was true, I was so entranced by the lives of these anonymous people.

This is a film series that I was quite interested in seeing because of the overall premise.

This was a fascinating installment for me to watch because in the interim between this one and the last, the subjects passed my own age, so on the one hand it’s a bit harder to relate to everything they are going through, yet it somehow helps me try to prepare for those events in life that are still to come.

They do a great job here of allowing the interviewees to express their feelings about being a part of such a series and that helps us get to know them more intimately.

Some of them state how intrusive it has been in their lives and vow to have the courage to not return 7 years later while others have stated that it has actually enhanced their lives.

We get to see some of them become grandparents while others are still just becoming first time parents.

Others deal with divorce and deaths of those close to them.

Bottom Line – Now that the subjects of the series have surpassed my own age, I can see things that might actually be in stall for myself and my family in the future. Love the way that they present the lives of the interviewees here and we get to know them even more intimately with this installment because a number of them begin to express their true feelings about the series even vowing to have the courage 7 years later to decline to be interviewed. At the same time, others express how being a part of the series has actually enhanced their lives. This installment also shows some of them becoming grandparents while others deal with new marriages, divorces and deaths of those close to them. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Charles Furneaux, who last appeared in 21 Up (1977), attempted to sue Michael Apted for using his earlier likeness in the film. (From IMDB)

Genre Grandeur Worthy? – Absolutely, another great installment in this series that brings us even closer to the lives of these subjects.

Rating – Globe Worthy (8/10)

If you missed any of the reviews of this series, check them out below:

Seven Up! (1964)

7 Plus Seven (1970)

21 Up (1977)

28 Up (1984)

35 Up (1991)

42 Up (1998)

56 Up (2012)

Roundup of the whole UP series (1964-2012)

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