Customer Reviews
If you don't have a sense of humour - don't watch. - By: C. Derham-Simpson, 05 Aug 2008 
Very Annie Mary is funny, touching, & is scaryin places only because there are charactersin the film that are so true to life it's uncanny. If you have ever had any connections with the South Wales Valleys, take a look at this & be entertained. The cast names read like a welsh 'Who's Who' & have been listedin previous reviews, but look out for Joanna Page (Gavin & Stacey) as Lil Bethan Bevan & Ruth Jones (G&S) who has a bit part of a woman buying bread! I bought sweets as a childin the same shop used by Hob & Nob, & the choirin the film sang at my wedding. A truly precious film.
What a gem!! - By: Josephine, 12 Mar 2007 This is definitely one of my favourite films of all time. It surely ranks up there with the very best British films like Four Weddings, The Full Monty, Saving Grace & Billy Elliot. I have lent my rather battered copy of the video to several friends, all of whom were delighted with it. I'd recommend it to anyone with a sense of humour who wants to see a funny film with real heart. I love the constant fund-raising efforts by local groups which just go onin the background (like a Giles' cartoon), & the frequent references to 'poor little Bethan Bevan'! The funniest moment for me, though, is where she leaves her father carelessly plonked on the edge of the bed after he's had his stroke, & he just slides off onto the floor! Wonderful! And I always cry my eyes out at the end. It's so beautiful, without being over-sentimental or crass. I'm off to buy the DVD now to update my collection!
If you know the Welsh valleys, you'll love this film. - By: Maranach, 08 Mar 2007 This film is hilarious, sensitive & exquisitely acted.
It is not weird, it's barely even quirky as long as you understand & can identify it within it's own context; The Welsh Valleys.
I myself have lived here for many years bringing up my familyin a village not that dissimilar to Ogw, & therin lies the secret of this film; it's unerring accuracy. To anyone who knows Wales & knows the valleys the charactersin this story are so endearingly relaistic that one finds oneself recognising people & identifying with one incident after another.
Yes Sara Sugarman is playing upon stereotypes here, but that is because they are stereotypes for a reason: because they're true! Rachel Griffiths putsin an outstanding performance as Annie Mary Pugh, & anyone who says that her accent detracts from the film is missing the point entirely. Besides; she doesn't sound like a New Zealander pretending to be Welsh, she sounds like she has a unique accent to go with her unique character - just like everyone else. The film isin English after all, not Welsh.
I watched this with local-born friends a few miles away from one of the set locations, & none of us felt that at any point was this film patronizing or that it suggested that life here/there is 20 or 30 years or so behind the times. I look out of my window & I see valleys just that green, shops with just that same panelling, a bread van & a Chapel community equally vibrant & a respect for the Eisteddfod that borders upon worship.
Do people really think that such great actors as Jonathan Pryce, Ruth Madoc, Ioan Griffiths & Matthew Rhys et al would sacrifice their integrity by all playing roles which cast a negative hue upon their heritage?
No. And they don't.
This film is sublime.
Weird, but endearing - By: Lili_K, 14 Aug 2006 
Very Annie Mary is definitely one of the weirdest films I've seen & has some of the weirdest characters, including Annie Maryin the major role, but at the same time it certainly has its appeal & leaves a strong impression. Makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you wonder. The story sounds simple when reading the summary, but you have to watch the story to see what can lie behind "simple" things. Like Annie Mary seems simple, simply simple-minded with not much to say or to think or to feel - but it's only the surface. You can see that Annie Mary has her own dreams, feelings, desires & is willing to fight for them, even if she does not / cannot do it like "normal" people do.
Rachel Griffith was greatin this role, evoking all kinds of cathartic emotions: pity, liking, strong dislike sometimes & respect.
Sometimes I still don't know what to think of this film, but I certainly won't forget itin a long time to come.
The valleys are not this green! - By: Jeannie Dean, 30 Jul 2006 
This a a quirky film which promises much but delivers disappointingly little. Not enough is seen of a fabulous locationin the South Wales valleys & this is ultimately a pretty patronising & stereotypical view of life there. They may be the 'valleys' but even so I don't think they are 20 or 30 years behind the times as suggested here. The film cannot seem to decide what it is all about. It is not funny enough to be comedy, not strong or interesting enough to be drama, not artistically adventurous enough to be fringe. A promising story is also spoiled by bad casting. The main character is played by Rachel Griffiths who sounds like a New Zealander & never quite manages a convincing Welsh accent. Perhaps this is why Annie Mary seems so stilted. She is certainly irritating & much too weird to invoke sympathy. Her father played by Jonathon Pryce is dark & sinister. His motives are inexplicable & his appeal to women unfathomable. There is no attention to continuity & so much is inexplicable that you can only assume the director was aiming for magic realism... although she doesnt say so when interviewed. To be fair, there are one or two moving & funny moments but on the whole the film was unbelievable & pretty daft.
