At the start of World War II, 14-year-old Carrie and her younger brother Nick are separated from their mother and evacuated from war-torn London to a rural village in Wales. Upon their arrival, they are assigned to live wi... more »th a troubled family°Xthe puritanical shopkeeper Mr. Evans, a widower, and his spinster sister, a timid woman named Lou. While Lou is thrilled to lavish attention on the children, Mr. Evans remains cold and distant. But Carrie and Nick°¶s fortunes take a turn for the better when they°¶re sent to fetch a Christmas goose from mysterious Druid°¶s Bottom°X a manor house occupied by a self-professed witch named Hepzibah and Mr. Evans°¶s ethereal, estranged sister, Mrs. Gotobed. Filled with magical adventures and first love, this heartfelt and faithful adaptation of Nina Bawden°¶s beloved novel stars Alun Armstrong (Bleak House), Lesley Sharp (The Full Monty), Pauline Quirke (David Copperfield), Geraldine McEwan (Miss Marple), and Keeley Fawcett (At Home with the Braithwaites) as Carrie.« less
"I came across this movie on a BBC channel late one night and was instantly intrigued. The characters are enchanting and the storyline always keeps you interested. I stayed up way too late watching it through to the end, but it was worth it, and now I'm buying it on DVD to share with my kids and looking for the book. It's great!!!!!!"
GORGEOUS...BUT COMPLETELY BOTCHED ENDING
J. MACKENZIE | Taconic, CT USA | 04/17/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Simply wonderful rendering: perfect cast, lovely score, beautiful undercut direction. The only warning I have is to turn off the DVD near the end, when Carrie and her brother are leaving Wales. Thereafter is botched and incongruent. If you're going to use a certain convention, one must do it in the first ten minutes of a story - not introduce it at the ending, where it clumsily destroys all the lovely moments preceding it. Nonetheless, a terrificly enjoyable 90 minutes."
Don't turn off the DVD!
lady victoria | Lilburn, Ga. United States | 06/20/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I loved this movie, and I loved the ending! One reviewer said to turn off the DVD when Carrie and her brother are leaving Wales, but if you've never read the book, you'll be left hanging! Please watch ALL of this movie! It is wonderful. You won't regret it."
A Charming Story Of Love And Redemption
John D. Cofield | 06/06/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Carrie Willow and her younger brother are evacuees from London during World War II. They are taken to a small town in Wales, where a young woman living with her very strict older brother takes them in. Over the next few months Carrie and her brother meet other members of their adoptive family and learn many surprising secrets. Eventually, everyone learns much more about the power of love, acceptance, friendship and forgiveness.
This is a very well done film, accurately depicting life in World War II Britain. The characters are all appealing, and there's enough humor to keep some of the weightier themes from bogging the story down, so even the youngest children should love it and learn from it. The ending, set twenty five years or so in the future, is especially affecting and bound to bring tears to your eyes."
Sweet movie
Librajen | LI, NY | 05/17/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I almost didn't want this movie b/c of some of the less favorable reviews - I thought something awful must happen at the end. Instead, you find out this is a story within a story. Yes, the actress who played the grown-up Carrie didn't look much like the young Carrie, but that's a minor quibble. Yes, the end is full of coincidences and was sugar sweet, yet I wouldn't have wanted a sadder, more realistic ending. It left me with a sense of hope and magic. It was a sweet, feel-good film."