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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 12234
Released: February 12, 2008 |
| Our Price: $7.57 |
| Used Price: $8.96 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 02/12/2008 Run time: 101 minutes Rating: R
Description of Peter's Friends:
What if you could go back to your glory days? Peter's Friends, sort of The Big Chill reconceived as an Agatha Christie country-estate drama, lets a group of university pals ponder that question while they must deal with their present-day demons. Kenneth Branagh's film, written by costar Rita Rudner and Martin Bergman, is buoyed by its vast and talented cast, whose chemistry keeps the action crackling, even when most of the action is the characters speaking. The friends are reunited at Peter's posh country home after the death of his father, for one last New Year's Eve. The bons mots fly, and the interaction of the actors is, as the Brits say, brilliant. Peter (played by the sublime Stephen Fry): "It's funny, with both my parents gone, I suddenly have this overwhelming urge to act maturely." Andrew (Branagh): "Oh, well, I don't think anybody really matures. Adults are just children who owe money." Yet buried among the one-liners and drawing-room manners are disappointment, heartbreak, and a heavy secret (which, many years after the film's original 1992 release, doesn't pack the same wallop). Emma Thompson shows nuance and delight as Maggie while Hugh Laurie shows his dramatic capabilities. Other winning performances are given by Imelda Staunton and Tony Slattery. The setting is an absolute stunner, and viewers will wish they could spend a holiday at the manor. And the soundtrack will transport them to a sweeter time in the early '80s, when "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." Cozy up for a delightfully unexpected evening with these Friends. --A.T. Hurley
Peter's Friends Reviews:
Peter's Friends 
2008-11-12 - Peter's Friends is a wonderful movie. Touching, funny, and sweet. I could watch it over and over again. The cast is superb. Ugh, Hugh Laurie what can I say. Much better than the Big Chill (they are similiar in theme).
Excellent 
2008-10-24 - Bought video for .77 cents, plus shipping, excellent deal. Although video was used it was in good condition. Would use this vendor again.
Much more than just the English Big Chill...
2008-10-19 - This 1992 Film by stage and screen actor/director Kenneth Branagh is a real treat. Many reviews at the time simply labelled it as the English 'Big Chill'... though it shows some similarities in terms of plot techniques the films couldn't be more different in terms of style, performace and tone.
The basic plot is as follows:
Seven friends in an acting troupe graduate from Cambridge University in 1982 and go their separate ways. Ten years later, Peter inherits a large estate from his father, and invites the rest of the gang to spend New Year's holiday with him. Many changes have taken place in the lives of all the friends assembled, but Peter has a secret that will shock them all.
So if you are looking for an entertaining ensemble piece, with fine performances, solid direction and a witty script you should check out Peter's Friends.
DISGUSTING 
2008-10-06 - NOT WHAT I EXPECTED - WOULD NOT BUY IT IF I KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE !!
WOULD RATE IT AS A MINUS 10 IF I COULD
The Big Thrill? 
2008-09-27 - Upon watching this movie, I was reminded of The Big Chill. After the movie, I saw that the DVD blurb compared it to The Big Chill. Wow, I feel intelligent now.
Seriously, the beginning was so god-awful bad that it turned me against the movie. But I'm so glad I kept watching. At the end, when they referred back to the beginning to complete the cycle, the formula was complete. For me, that part didn't work and was downright painful in its stupidity. But everything in between was brilliant. How strange.
Look at the cast, and you will expect great acting. You'll get it. I already knew Rita Rudner as a perceptive and funny stand-up comic. As you would expect, that does translate to her writing. It turns out she can act, too.
Actually, I see 3.5 or 3.75 stars here. But some of the other reviewers were a bit too complimentary, so I thought I'd rein them in a bit. It's a character-driven, perceptive gem of a film, and I'll be generous and assume that the "sexpot" character was meant to be every bit annoying as she is. I've forgotten her name, or to care. It's a fine film indeed.
