"I think you're going round the bend.

Oh I do hope so. I've always wanted to travel."

My English teacher leant me the DVD... I Don't know how she knows me so well but she's certainly got my movie preference down to a T. I look forward to reading the play. As a huge fan of 'Blood Brothers', I know Willy Russell's writing will not disappoint with 'Shirley Valentine'.

So now, the film...

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Play: Willy Russell

Music: Willy Russell

Release Date: 30th August 1989 (USA)

Runtime: 1hr44m

Genre: Comedy

Classification: 15

IMDb rating: 7.2/10*

Starring: Pauline Collins as 'Shirley Valentine'

*as of 8th July 2017

The feel-good film for the 'every-girl', Shirley Valentine is a romantic comedy that tells an episodic story of a middle-aged woman's life so far. As she begins to realise the dreams she wants have slipped away and she is lost in all the "unused life" inside of her, her actions become more spontaneous. She begins to say "okay" to things she may not have considered possible at the start of the film and Russell cleverly mirrors Shirley's madness with her husband's incompetency - both characters ending up talking to inanimate objects at some point in the film. Shirley escapes to a Greek island on a spontaneous holiday, having somewhat of a romance with a smooth-talking worker at her hotel. We see the rebellious, teenage side of Shirley re-emerge and she starts to say "yes" to the life she's always wanted.

It's impossible not to root for Shirley Valentine. Pauline Collins has a wonderful way of combining comedy with sadness, which is truly beautiful to watch. I enjoy her episodic transitions between emotions and her almost comedic looks to the camera, which leave us wondering how we, like the wall, have become wrapped up in Shirley's life.

I love Joanna Lumley as a rule of thumb. Her voice does things to me and I definitely have a girl crush on everything about her. One moment which did have me giggling was when Marjorie was revealed as a "hooker, a whore" instead of the swave life Shirley thought she had led. Expertly delivered, the way only Ms Lumley can.

The only downside was the room for expansion. In some ways, I enjoyed the simplistic, slightly unresolved ending. It was symbolic of spontaneity, of not really having a life plan. But, when pushed to be critical, I would have liked to have seen more! More of Shirley's teenage phase, her relationship with Marjorie and perhaps more of a subplot of Shirley's dream to travel abroad. But the feel-good nature of the film and Russell's symbolic, episodic structure meant it is somewhat perfect as is.

I place my rating above IMDb, scoring 'Shirley Valentine' an 8/10. It tugged on my heartstrings, although not enough to draw tears, and the comic aspects were golden to say the least. Willy Russell combines the perfect amount of reality, with comic fiction, to create the most realistic presentation of a domestic woman, who all can relate to. Feel-good is the right description and it currently sits rather high up on my all-time favourites list!

Let me know what films you've been loving and remember...

Hannah x