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Before You Go (film)

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Wikipedia article




'Before You Go' is a 2002 comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert (his final directorial effort). The imperfect lives of three sisters are revealed at their unloved mother's funeral.

Plot



Three sisters, Teresa, Mary and Catherine grew up on The Isle of Man, where their mother Violet has passed away. Teresa and her husband Frank live there, regularly looking after her. They summon the other two sisters to return for the funeral.

Teresa and Frank have a local vitamin and supplements business. It happens to be her second husband, who is similar to their non-communicative father. She constantly reminds her sisters that she and Frank have regularly helped their mother without their aid.

Mary, a doctor, has been having a long-time affair with fellow physician Mike, a married man with kids. Catherine hasnt fared much better, presently dating Spanish Javier.

Mary has been placed by Teresa in their deceased mums bedroom. She regularly has visions and flashbacks of her while they are organising and preparing the funeral. Marys searching for a box in the house that has a few of her things, but Teresa insists that she hasnt seen it.

Catherine is shown to be flighty and her sisters dont take her seriously. She lives beyond her meanseven though shes in debt, she constantly buys on credit. She also is always looking for a fix. Catherine periodically pretends to faint etc to get attention. And finally, they never remember her boyfriend or fiancs name because she is constantly changing partners.

Every time the phone rings, all three jump for it, until Frank and Mike turn up. When Marys sisters meet Mike, she recognises him for a regular spot on the BBC on medicine. She throws herself to her knees, imploring him to medicate her, insisting shes grieving. Although earlier in the film she showed indifference to her mothers passing.

The next morning, Mary and Mike have an interlude in the woods. Afterwards, she tells him she thinks shes pregnant, but discovers he had a vasectomy years ago.

Heading back to the house, Teresa and Catherine have gotten into the liquor as they are sorting their mother's clothes to give away. They dance and frolic in her fancy dresses

Frank finally arrives. After meeting Mike he goes down to the pub with Teresa. She asks if hes been having an affair, only to find out he wants to quit selling supplements. Instead he wants to buy and run a pub, which angers her. Teresa concludes he hasnt been upfront their whole relationship.

When Frank and Teresa get back, everyone witnesses Catherine being dumped on the phone by Javier. In tears she says how lonely she is, explaining she gets taken advantage of, having slept with 78 different men to date. Later on, when Frank is trying to rest Catherine tries to get his sympathy, and makes a pass.

The two couples walk into town to the pub. After some whiskey, Teresa very loudly embarrasses them all. On their return, she talks about Marys teenage pregnancy, which noone else there knew about. Mike and Mary talk, and she reveals that the tin shes seeking contains the birth certificate. Shes hoping to make herself accessible in case her now-adult son wanted contact. He makes it clear he doesnt want kids.

In the middle of the night Violet guides Mary to seek the tin in the garage. Teresa finds her, taking it, not wanting her to totally have a look-through until the funeral the next day. Upon her insistance it is revealed Patrick died at 13 falling from a cliff.



Mary had remembered her mother as brutal who, rather than stand by her when she became pregnant at 14, shouts at and slaps her. She had held that moment in her mind, which had festered over the years until she hated her. But her memory plays tricks on her and it is not until finding the clipping that she remembers after the slap shed embraced and supported her.

Cast



*Julie Walters as Teresa

*John Hannah as Mike

*Joanne Whalley as Mary

*Victoria Hamilton as Catherine

*Tom Wilkinson as Frank

*Patricia Hodge as Mother

References




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