Anchor and Hope [Ancora si speranta] **** (2017, Natalia Tena, Oona Chaplin, David Verdaguer, Geraldine Chaplin, Charlotte Atkinson, Trevor White) – Movie Review

Co-writer/ director Carlos Marques-Marcet’s quirky comedy of personal relationships Anchor and Hope (2017) is really quite special. It is richly enjoyable, very funny, touching and thoughtful, with four lovely performances in memorable characters, as well as witty banter, striking cinematography (by Dagmar Weaver-Madsen), and a sweet soundtrack (by Merche Blasco).

Natalia Tena, Oona Chaplin star as 30somethings Kat and Eva, and David Verdaguer plays the best friend of one of them, Roger. They live on a boat on the canals of London. But Roger is quite a life-force live wire, and the two women are strongly defined personalities, so can they live happily together?

The outsiders’ look at London is just great, with huge value from the unusual, non-touristy canal setting. It is filmed at Regent’s Canal, London. It is a Spanish movie, and there is a strong flavour of the Spanish in London – real, genuine Spanish people, not the tourists in town for shopping and sightseeing.

Jules Nurrish writes the screenplay with Carlos Marques-Marcet.

Spanish actress Oona Chaplin is the granddaughter of legendary comic Charles Chaplin. Her mother Geraldine Chaplin puts in a memorable appearance as Germaine.

It screened in the Love section at the 61st BFI London Film Festival in 2017.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

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