Days of the Bagnold Summer

VOD, June 8, BFI

What is a Bagnold, you might ask? It is a mother and son in suburban England, two lonely souls negotiating their lives together and separately. Simon Bird makes his feature-directing debut with this sweet adaptation by his wife Lisa Owens of a graphic novel. It’s gentle, equal and enormously likeable.

Bird, of Inbetweeners fame, starts as he means to continue with a big wide shot of Sue (Monica Dolan) and her 15-year-old son Daniel (Earl Cave) shoe shopping. He is going to his father’s wedding and looking forward to a trip to Florida, but the trip is cancelled and instead mother and son face the summer together.

Sue is mousey but firm, protective but frustrated. Daniel is resentful and frustrated, tough but soft. They drive each other mad but love each other and are trying to negotiate their familiar but changing world. It is shot so that everywhere they go they seem alone, isolated and together.

Not a huge amount happens; it’s more observational than plot-based. Dolan, one of the busiest character actors in Britain, and Cave, playing an often thankless role, are really good, and Rob Brydon and Tamsin Greig enjoy their cameos.

It’s poignant with many a wry smile for parents of teenagers, especially single parents.