..I just wanted to jump on the Jessica Brown-Findlay bandwagon here as her performance was beyond amazing...it's not often you are able to witness that special moment when you just know that the young actress you are watching is most certainly destined to become a major star...such is the case with Jessica Brown-Findlay in Albatross...not only does she steal the film and every scene in which she appears, she complete enchants and beguiles you with her charm,wit,charisma and screen presence. Her power is such that without her, this would have been a typical coming of age story of young girl/woman....she single-handedly captures your undivided attention, inspires your romantic fascination with youth, beauty, and a vitality & passion for living life to the fullest...I challenge any male from 18 to 80 not to fall at least a little in love with her...must see!

Summary- Seventeen year old girl, wears a conservative, repressed wardrobe which is indicative of her personality and demeanor.Said teen, meets a 'rebel without a clue type,' provocatively dressing, teen girl-friend, who is related to Arthur Conan Doyle and wants to be a writer. Said teen girl, much to the chagrin of her mother, and pleasure of her father, adopts a similar slutty wardrobe. Father proceeds to have an affair with slutty friend. Said teen proceeds to have terrible falling out with slutty friend over heretofore mentioned affair. The "earth shattering ending" involves said teen wearing an "I Put Out" tee-shirt, with a small, female, firefighter beneath that banner. Sad.I was really disappointed in this film- It had moments and brief sparks, but overall it's an abysmal failure.

There are some characters in this film, there really are, and they are all so very different, and, at the same time, very alike. Emilia, at times quite brilliantly played by Jessica Brown Findlay, is the superficially confident teen who commands the scene and will not be put down easily. Beth, well played by Felicity Jones, is the girl who likes the rebel instinct of Emilia, but is waiting on a place at Oxford. The two girls, and their families, live in a fictitious English south coast town. Beth's parents own a hotel/guest house proceeds from the only book her father has successfully authored. There is much friction between Beth's parents.The plot develops around the friendship between Emilia and Beth, and then between Emilia and Beth's father, and takes us down a number of diversionary routes until we get to the revelations that make the story tie up its loose ends.Not entirely satisfactory or convincing as a film but it has some promising acting from its younger stars. Well worth a rental.

Now and again a quiet little British movie pops up to remind us just how well the Brits know how to mix comedy and compassion. Such is the case with ALBATROSS, a gentle, sensitive tale written by Tazmin Rafn and directed by Niall MacCormick about a social misfit who imposes herself on a family in desperate need of a wakeup call. The film is blessed with a very fine cast (especially the blossoming of young actress Jessica Brown Findlay - remembered for her ongoing impressive role as Lady Sybil in 'Downton Abbey') and for the breathtaking scenery of the Isle of Man. There is comedy here to be sure but here are other lessons about family and friendship and relationships that are importantly placed in perspective.Cliff House is the Bed and Breakfast run by a dysfunctional family: the bitter mother Joa (Julia Ormond), her writer's block housebound husband Jonathan (Sebastian Koch) who wrote a book Cliff House 10 years ago and nothing since, bookish teenager Beth (Felicity Jones) and young Posy (Katie Overd). Into their lives pops Emelia, a rebellious, seductive and intelligent teenager whose sole claim to fame is her apparent ancestor Arthur Conan Doyle (she dreams of becoming a writer to carry on her legacy). Emelia takes a job as a cleaner at the B&B, befriends Beth - drawing her out of her mousy self perception in to the throes of early adulthood, begins an affair with Jonathan and gets scowled at by Joa. Emelia's only living family (her mother committed suicide recently) are her grandparents - Granny (Hazel Douglas) suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and Grandpa (the always superb actor Peter Vaughan - for whom she holds deep affection and caring.Beth is due to travel to Oxford for interview and despite the misgivings of Joa and the now lovesick Jonathan, Emelia accompanies Beth to the interview, there discovering the wilds of being raw and naughty. Upon return matters change: Granny dies, Emelia grieves, the affair between Emelia and Jonathan becomes open, and everything must change. The albatross of the title refers to the baggage each character carries, not just Emelia's name legacy The depth of friendships are tested - and survive.Without exception the cast is first rate - Ormond and Koch are already established stars and Jessica Brown Findlay and Felicity Jones prove they are on their way to become very important actresses. This is a beautiful little film to watch and to think about. It is a first class little Indie. Grady Harp