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London Film Festival: Ethel & Ernest Review
2D Animation is disappearing: Disney decided to produce only 3D animated movies and now we could lose this special and unique form of handmade animation. Ethel & Ernest is a reminder of how good old school animation is. The movie was part of the line-up of the London Film Festival 2016.
'Roger Mainwood' adapted the 'Raymond Briggs' autobiographical book Ethel & Ernest. It is the story of an ordinary London couple. Ethel and Ernest meet, fall in love and have a child: Raymond. Their everyday life is full of connections with World History, the second world war, the British government and the rise of technology.
It's a heartwarming story of life and death. 'Mainwood' directs brilliantly this delicate depiction of life's troubles and joys. 'Briggs' story is an authentic portrait of what it means to have a family, what it means to lose someone you love and to be part of a terrible and scary war. Ethel & Ernest hints tenderly at complex themes like death, sorrow and fear. I really appreciated the circular ending: as the beginning shows the real Raymond drawing some sketches, the ending includes real-life pictures.
Simple stories can be more effective than plot twist-filled ones. Ethel & Ernest is pure visual and narrative class. Have a look at the trailer:
