& Sons review – Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton’s riveting showdown rescues a laborious plot

Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton's riveting showdown is the sole bright spot in 'And Sons', a laborious and convoluted film that struggles to deliver on its promising cast.

David Gilbert's 2013 novel, adapted for the screen by Pablo Trapero and Sarah Polley, follows Andrew Dyer, a cantankerous old literary lion who has lost his touch and is now living in exile with his longsuffering Czech housekeeper Gerde. Nighy brings his signature wit to the role, but it's not enough to save the film from its convoluted plot and implausible twists.

The story centers around Dyer's revelation about his relationship with Andy, a teenager who may be the illegitimate son of one of Dyer's siblings. The film tries to milk this twist for drama, but ultimately fails to deliver. Instead, it meanders through a series of awkward confrontations between Dyer and his children, played by George MacKay and Johnny Flynn.

Staunton shines as the estranged wife, Isabel, who is still reeling from the family's dark past. Her scenes with Nighy are always compelling, but even they can't elevate the film above its overall messiness.

Trapero's direction feels uneven, and the screenplay struggles to balance the various plot threads. The result is a film that feels like it's trying too hard to be clever, rather than allowing the characters to shine through.

Despite its shortcomings, 'And Sons' has some genuinely amusing moments, thanks in part to Nighy's quick wit and comedic timing. But these moments are fleeting, and ultimately can't save the film from its overall lack of focus and coherence. The real standout is the showdown between Staunton and Nighy, which is riveting even if it doesn't entirely make sense.

In the end, 'And Sons' feels like a missed opportunity, with too much emphasis on plot twists and not enough on character development. Even with its talented cast, the film can't quite come together, leaving viewers feeling frustrated rather than moved.

Ugh, I'm really disappointed in this movie . Bill Nighy is always a joy to watch, but even he can't save this mess. And Imelda Staunton is wasted in this film - she's so talented and deserves better material . The plot is all over the place and it feels like they're trying too hard to be clever. I mean, who thought it was a good idea for a 60-year-old man to try to pass off his son as someone else's? It just doesn't make sense .

And don't even get me started on the direction - it's all over the place and uneven. The script is convoluted and hard to follow, it's like they're trying to outdo each other with plot twists rather than developing real characters. I was laughing at some of the moments with Bill Nighy, but even those were fleeting.

I think the real problem here is that the film is more interested in being clever than being honest and truthful. It's a missed opportunity for a really great story about family dynamics and relationships .

I don’t usually comment but I gotta say, Bill Nighy is always good for a laugh and Imelda Staunton is a total pro but even they couldn’t save this movie from being a mess. The plot is all over the place and it feels like they were trying to pack too many twists in. It’s like they wanted to be clever or something and it just ends up feeling forced. And honestly, I was on the edge of my seat during that showdown between Staunton and Nighy but only because I didn’t know what was gonna happen next not because it was actually good. I wish they’d focused more on character development and less on trying to be clever. It’s a shame because with a better script and direction, this could’ve been something special

I think the main problem is that the film is trying to do way too much - it's like they're cramming in as many plot twists and turns as possible without thinking about how they actually contribute to the story It feels like they're more interested in being clever than in actually telling a coherent narrative. And yeah, Bill Nighy's character is great, but even he can't carry the whole film on his own The female cast, especially Imelda Staunton, is where I think the real magic happens - when they're on screen together, it's genuinely compelling

Ugh I'm so done with this movie! Bill Nighy is just trying to bring his A-game but it's like he's swimming upstream against a tidal wave of convoluted nonsense. And Imelda Staunton is the only one who can even begin to redeem this mess, her scenes with Nighy are always so charged and intense... it's like she's the only sane person in a world that's gone utterly mad . But even those moments aren't enough, the rest of the film just meanders along like a lost puppy looking for its owner. I mean what's up with the plot? It's all over the place like a dog chasing its tail . And don't even get me started on George MacKay and Johnny Flynn, they're wasted in these roles, so much potential but it just gets lost in the chaos of the story . Anyway, I guess if you're a fan of Bill Nighy you might enjoy it for his comedic timing, but for everyone else it's just a frustrating watch

Ugh, another movie that's more about trying to be clever than actually being good . I mean, I loved Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton in everything they've ever done, but even their scenes together can't save this mess from itself. It feels like the writers took all these juicy plot twists and just mashed them together without any thought to how they'd actually work on screen . And don't even get me started on the direction... Pablo Trapero must be having a bad day or something . I mean, I liked some of the one-liners Nighy brought to his character, but overall, this film just feels like it's trying too hard and ends up being all over the place .

OMG I'm so over this convoluted mess of a movie... Bill Nighy is his usual genius self as always but even he can't save this trainwreck! The plot twists are just cringeworthy and the direction feels all over the place . Imelda Staunton though, she's on another level as perusal that showdown between her and Bill Nighy tho is EVERYTHING but overall I'd say it's like they got lost in trying to be too clever instead of just letting the characters shine David Gilbert's novel must've been way more fire than this adaptation

Ugh I just watched this movie with my kids and I'm still trying to figure out what happened . The acting was great, especially Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton - they really brought their characters to life . But the plot was all over the place . It felt like it was jumping around in circles instead of actually telling a story . I get that it's based on a book, but sometimes less is more, you know? Don't need all those twists and turns . The kids were bored out of their minds , and my husband and I just ended up guessing what was going to happen next . Overall, not worth the time or money . Even with a talented cast, it just didn't come together .

I think what really disappointed me about this movie is that Bill Nighy's presence was just a reminder of how great he would've been in something like this. He has so much charisma and comedic timing, but it feels like the script wasn't written with him in mind. I mean, can you imagine someone else playing Dyer? It just wouldn't be the same . The whole thing feels like a messy puzzle that never quite comes together. And don't even get me started on how awkward those confrontation scenes were . It's like they took all these interesting ideas and characters and turned them into a slow-cooked stew with too many ingredients.

I mean, who needs a clear plot when you've got Bill Nighy being his usual awesome self? The man's talent is enough to carry a whole movie, but alas, it's like trying to glue a bunch of disparate puzzle pieces together without any glue . Still, that showdown between Staunton and Nighy is like the cinematic equivalent of a fine wine – only gets better with time . And let's be real, 2 hours and 15 minutes is just too long for a film that's this meandering . Overall, it feels like they were trying to make a movie instead of actually making one .

omg i just watched this movie and honestly it was such a mess bill nighy is literally the only one who could've saved this from itself though his chemistry with imelda staunton is they had like 3 minutes of screen time together but it felt like an hour unfortunately it's all overshadowed by the convoluted plot and awkward family drama i'm still trying to wrap my head around it after watching it for the second time anyway i do love bill nighy's wit, it's so infectious!

omg u guys i just saw this movie "and sons" and it was literally so meh i mean bill nighy is always good but even he cant save this convoluted plot its like the writers tried to cram too many twists and turns into one film and now its all messy and whats with david gilberts book adaptation? did they really need to change so much? anyway nighy's showdown with imelda staunton was SO GOOD tho but yeah overall i was just kinda meh about it tbh

I just watched this movie and I'm still trying to process everything... It's like, what happened? The cast is amazing, Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton are incredible as usual , but the story is so convoluted and messy. It's like they took a bunch of threads, tried to weave them together into something cohesive, but in the end, it just got all tangled up . I think that's what really gets me, though - it feels like the movie is trying too hard to be clever instead of letting the characters breathe and shine on their own. It's like, I get it, twists are cool and all, but sometimes you gotta let the drama unfold naturally... *sigh* anyway, the showdown between Nighy and Staunton was seriously intense , even if it didn't make total sense...

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."

I was really looking forward to watching 'And Sons' but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. The twist with Nighy's character is so convoluted and doesn't make sense, it just adds to the confusion. Maybe I'm just missing something, but for me, it felt like they were trying too hard to be clever instead of letting the characters speak for themselves. Still, Bill Nighy shines as always

I just watched this movie And Sons and I gotta say, it's like they took a promising story and threw in a bunch of confusing plot twists that didn't really make sense . Bill Nighy is always a delight to watch, but even he can't elevate the whole film for me . Imelda Staunton's scenes with him were the highlight of my movie experience, tbh . The rest of it just felt like they were trying too hard to be clever and didn't quite succeed . I mean, what's up with all the drama with the illegitimate son? It was like they took a great idea and ran with it, but not in a good way . Anyway, if you're a Bill Nighy fan, you might enjoy And Sons, but for me, it's a skip

I'm so over this movie it's like they took every loose thread from the book and tried to weave them into a coherent narrative but honestly it just falls flat . I mean Bill Nighy is still amazing as always but even he can't save this mess, his scenes with Imelda Staunton are so compelling though! The cast deserves better than this convoluted mess of a movie. 2/10 would not watch again

omg u guys i just saw "and sons" and i was soooo meh about it the casting is literally perfect tho especially bill nighy & imelda staunton they have this AMAZING chemistry on screen!!! but the plot is like totally confusing what even is up with that twist? idk man i needed a flowchart to keep track of everything and the direction feels all over the place david gilbert's novel must've been super solid tho because trapero & polley just didn't do it justice

I mean I love Bill Nighy to death , but this film is just meh. The guy's talent is being wasted here, ya know? He's like a fine wine – he gets better with age . But Trapero's direction is all over the place and it feels like they're trying too hard to be clever . I mean, who comes up with this plot twist stuff? It's just convoluted . And don't even get me started on George MacKay's character – what a waste of talent . Imelda Staunton is the real MVP though , she's like the only adult in that film . Still, it's disappointing to see such a talented cast getting brought down by poor writing and directing . Maybe they'll get another chance with something better? Fingers crossed!