Up Against It
by
Trudie Styler
Fast-paced, sharp-tongued, and unexpectedly tender, 'Up Against It' is an acerbic and oddly romantic family comedy about unlikely alliances, second chances, and the messy miracle of modern love.
Álvaro and Saffron are very divorced. Their marriage was a disaster from which the only good thing to emerge was their beloved daughter Rose. Their mutual abhorrence is such that they can barely endure the minimal communication required to share custody, so they're thrown for a serious loop when it's discovered that, not only does Rose have a rare form of leukemia, but that, given the nature of Rose's genetic disorder, their best bet at keeping the child healthy and alive is to for Álvaro and Saffron to produce a second child who could provide a transfusion. The ex-spouses balk at the idea — and their new partners don't fancy it either — but they may have no choice but to bury the hatchet (in bed).
Genre
/ Language
/ Length
Comedy
/ English / 122 minutes
Original title
Up Against It
directed by
Trudie Styler (AND THEN THERE IS NAPLES, FREAK SHOW)
director of photography
Dante Spinotti (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, THE INSIDER)
produced by
Maven Screen Media and Tempo Productions
Cast
- Antonio Banderas (THE MASK OF ZORRO, BABYGIRL)
- Eva Birthistle (BAD SISTERS)
- Úrsula Corberó (MONEY HEIST)
- Forest Whitaker (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND)
- Arinzé Kene (TUESDAY)
- Richard E Grant (SALTBURN, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME )
- Eden Hamilton (THE RAILWAY CHLIDREN RETURN)
Press Quotes
"Hamilton is irresistible as Rose, and Banderas and Birthistle are excellent here, as are Corberó and Kene as the confused new partners in their lives. Whitaker nicely plays the no-nonsense doctor whose priorities dictate the complex solution at hand.The handsome-looking film shows off London locations at their best, and Styler, with the help of a screenplay that doesn't resort to clichés, has pulled off a smart and sophisticated story of dysfunctional adults who, in the worst of times, must learn the true definition of love and family and what really matters."
DEADLINE
"Features wonderful performances and intriguingly modern ideas. [...] The performances are fantastic, starting with the young Hamilton, whose boisterous, me-against-the-world demeanor forms the movie's backbone."
VARIETY
"The director has an impressive touch for illustrating relationships that have real history to them, particularly working with as strong an ensemble as she has here, and while it may be a race to find the right blood type for Rose, ‘Up Against It' has the right stuff running through its veins the whole time."
MOVABLE FEST
"They say there is a fine line between love and hate, and when it comes to cinematic portrayals of family dramas, there is certainly a line between cheesy sentimentality and heartfelt sincerity. Trudie Styler's new film, Up Against It, magically straddles the line and stays almost entirely on the side of love, a difficult feat for this type of subject matter.It wisely understands that sincerity can be its own strength when handled with restraint, and that even familiar stories can still move us when they are grounded in recognizable pain, affection, resentment, and grace. The film's best moments are quiet, perceptive, and emotionally generous enough to make the stories it features easy to connect with."
NEXT BEST PICTURE
DEADLINE
"Features wonderful performances and intriguingly modern ideas. [...] The performances are fantastic, starting with the young Hamilton, whose boisterous, me-against-the-world demeanor forms the movie's backbone."
VARIETY
"The director has an impressive touch for illustrating relationships that have real history to them, particularly working with as strong an ensemble as she has here, and while it may be a race to find the right blood type for Rose, ‘Up Against It' has the right stuff running through its veins the whole time."
MOVABLE FEST
"They say there is a fine line between love and hate, and when it comes to cinematic portrayals of family dramas, there is certainly a line between cheesy sentimentality and heartfelt sincerity. Trudie Styler's new film, Up Against It, magically straddles the line and stays almost entirely on the side of love, a difficult feat for this type of subject matter.It wisely understands that sincerity can be its own strength when handled with restraint, and that even familiar stories can still move us when they are grounded in recognizable pain, affection, resentment, and grace. The film's best moments are quiet, perceptive, and emotionally generous enough to make the stories it features easy to connect with."
NEXT BEST PICTURE
Selected Festivals & Awards
51st Toronto International Film Festival