OFF THE RAILS (15)

“The menopause has 32 symptoms and I have 34,” says Sally Phillips’ unusually mature Inter-railer in this likeable British drama.

She’s playing Liz, a 50-something doctor who has reunited with three old pals after the death of a fourth.

When Anna (Andrea Corr in a fleeting cameo) died from breast cancer, she bequeathed tickets to Liz, actress Cassie (Kelly Preston) and journalist Kate (Jenny Seagrove) so they could repeat (and this time complete) the boozefuelled European odyssey they embarked on when they were students. There’s just one difference. Anna’s place will be taken by her 17-year-old daughter Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips).

While Maddie will see the delights of Paris, Barcelona and Mallorca through the first flush of youth, her companions will relive it through the hot flushes of the menopause.

It’s a pretty predictable affair that sticks to the itinerary of the feel-good Brit flick. The rail trip stirs up old rivalries, reveals old secrets and offers comedic and romantic interludes.

There’s way too much Blondie shoehorned into the soundtrack (Anna was a fan) but the performances are excellent, the camaraderie is convincing and there’s a smattering of witty lines.

The age of the women freshens it up too. Since the advent of the so-called grey pound movie, we are used to seeing British pensioners behaving badly, but the experiences of middle-aged women are rarely explored in mainstream movies.

The tragic death of Kelly Preston last year (this was her last film) is harder to ignore, making an early funeral scene tough to watch. As Judi Dench, playing Anna’s mum, delivers a touching speech about a life taken too early, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the sprightly American.