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Ladies in Lavender

Ladies in Lavender

Drama · Romance · 2004

Andrea, a gifted young Polish violinist from Krakow, is bound for America when he is swept overboard by a storm. When the Widdington sisters discover the handsome stranger on the beach below their house, they nurse him back to health. However, the presence of the musically talented young man disrupts the peaceful lives of Ursula and Janet and the community in which they live.

Movie details

Ladies in Lavender

“The story of two sisters who saved a stranger, and the stranger who stole their hearts.”

2004 Drama · Romance 1h 44m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

Andrea, a gifted young Polish violinist from Krakow, is bound for America when he is swept overboard by a storm. When the Widdington sisters discover the handsome stranger on the beach below their house, they nurse him back to health. However, the presence of the musically talented young man disrupts the peaceful lives of Ursula and Janet and the community in which they live.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Ladies in Lavender?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Charles Dance

Written by

Charles Dance

Judi Dench

Judi Dench

Ursula

Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith

Janet

Daniel Brühl

Daniel Brühl

Andrea

Freddie Jones

Freddie Jones

Jan Pendered

Natascha McElhone

Natascha McElhone

Olga

Miriam Margolyes

Miriam Margolyes

Dorcas

David Warner

David Warner

Dr Mead

Court is in session

Put Ladies in Lavender on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.