Marshmallow with a dollop of treacle

I am not very keen on sweet things at the best of times but going to see the saccharine film Quartet definitely took me to the limits of my sugar tolerance. Over sentimental, characters so stock, it was amazing.

Set in a totally incredible home for aged musicians,  there was the standoffish diva who, of course, unbends,(Maggie Smith), the scatty semi-demented busybody with a heart of gold (Pauline Collins),the naughty lecher with creaking knees ( Billy Connolly). the acerbic, deeply (and of course silently) hurt ex husband of our national treasure Maggie, played by Tom Courtenay, and the whole shebang brought to a glorious operatic climax by super luvvie Michael Gambon in exotic eastern robe and embroidered cap.

The setting of stately home and and magnificent grounds with ALL the flowers in bloom was lovely, the staff devoted even if they did not give Tom Courtenay his lime marmalade for breakfast. And I did wonder where the wallpaper in one of the rooms came from. Oh and the acting as excellent.

I am not against sentimentality per se. On the contrary, I wept buckets when I came to the end of The Time Traveler's wife. I thought it was loverly|