From the bonnie banks of Loch Fyne, Hugh Hudson brings us a far cry from his `Chariots of Fire' to serve up an endearing, even charming, little piece, not lacking in comedy, purportedly a biography of the young Fraser Pettigrew. The story is a disconnected series of episodes in the young boy's life as seen by him as he clambers through life in a pool of innocence.Some good interpretations, especially the boy and his father, Colin Firth, and some excellent scenes with the servants. Expected more from Ms. Mastrantonio, but got it from Irène Jacob.Otherwise, the film meanders through from scene to scene, gloriously photographed in the beautiful Scottish countryside below Stub an Eas (732m) right at the top end of Loch Fyne.The film is simply that: an entertaining `divertimento' without much to suggest greater ideas; a kind of family portrait of yesteryear, of times remembered as romantic; but nothing serious to go on. For that, see `Gosford Park' (qv).The `divertimento' impression is heightened not so much by the original music, but by the inclusion of pieces by Beethoven on the piano, and `The Swan' by Camille Saint-Saëns, not too brilliantly played I should add: which, is just the correct thing, as amateurs at home are hardly likely to produce awesome professional playing.Watch it with this attitude and you will be amused or entertained, but without expecting anything more from it. The best scene is at the dinner table, well into the film...........

This is one of the least know, but most charming films I have ever scene.seen.Every child deserves to have a father like Edward Pettigrew (Firth). As Frazier describes his father, " Father is an inventer and a genius!!!"The film begins with a toddler Frazier, disliking his rest time, decides to have an adventure by crawling around the roof of the family castle in Argyll, Scotland. Father climbs down the steep roof with a rope attached to his waist and rescues wee Frazier, all the while barking like a dog. Frazier, (who makes comments throughout the film), observes that at that time in his life, he and his father ONLY communicated in DOG, the language they both spoke best.Naturally the film has a romantic and potentially explosively moment between Father and his brother-in-law's fiance- a 24 year old French muscian who is quite beautiful and charming. She is also very wise for her years and managed to defuse the situation before it blows up. Never-the-less, the wife, played beautifully by Mary Elizabeth Mastreontonio, finds out at a crucial moment in the film and those rock-solid marriage nearly ends at a most tragic time in young Frazier's life.But father, being a genius, finds a way to heal the wounds caused by his split-second decision to give in to his baser instincts. The WAY he gets his wife to forgive him and laugh again is pure magic.Colin Firth never looked so handsome. Not even his glorious Mr. Darcy is so appealing. This role gives him the opportunity to show all his sides. His glorious, looney sense of humor as well as his gift for drama without words. Here he is active, leaping into a freezing cold Locke, running up and down stairs, inventing things, saving his son, dancing with his wife. He gets to laugh and cry and be HUMAN.For those who discovered Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, My Life So Far is the glorious update!My Life So Far in DVD has a place on honor in my collection of over 500 DVD's and VHS' One of my favorites, and, I hope soon to be yours.

I loved this period piece set in Scotland during the 40's. It is a coming of age story of Fraser Pettigrew.Most of the story was told through Fraser's precocious eyes. Both he, and his father Edward, develop an infatuation with Malcolm McDowell's "exotic child bride"(Irene Jacobs). Fraser and his aunt share a sweet friendship;she turns him onto jazz, Louie Armstrong and the like.His father Edward's (Colin Firth) love is unrequited and misplaced. He is a sympathetic character in the story until he develops this wandering eye. He is a hypocrite in that he wants to be pious and he wants & takes his sister-in-law and becomes the devil he warns Fraser of. Edward Pettigrew's foolish fantasy is revealed at Gamma's funeral for all to see. His only redemption is the true love of Moira played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrianni, who forgives him for all his foibles.

With an accomplished cast and some good reviews, I expected much more from this movie. Hoping for something along the lines of the great "My Life as a Dog", instead I found a stilted disjointed movie with no real soul. Malcolm McDowell was very good, but most other characters were two-dimensional, and the father, who apparently was a madcap inventor, comes across as a humorless corporate manager.