My Life So Far Movie Review

I guess you’re either one of those people who loves 1930’s Scottish coming-of-age stories, or you’re not.

Looks like I’m not.

Narrated by the precocious Fraser (Norman), we tour the life of a wee Scottish lad who seems brilliant beyond his years. Fraser’s life is dominated by his large family, which runs a sphagnum moss plantation – the only one in Europe, we’re told (many times). There’s dad (Firth), a Beethoven freak and spare-time inventor; mom (Mastrantonio in a bad Scottish accent), the wallflower; Gamma (Harris), the gamma; crusty Uncle Morris (McDowell – wasted in this role); and his child fiancˇe/bride Eloise (Jacob).

What a fine, dysfunctional family they make, what with dad’s inventions going awry, and both father and son making goo-goo eyes for Eloise. And when Fraser finds grandpa’s old stash of Victorian-era pornography stashed away in the attic, boy, look out!

All of this tries to be very quaint and sweet, but turns out to be perverse and disturbing, to say the least. Dad is nothing short of a lech, and in fact, all the adults in this picture are sorry role models. (No small wonder that the epilogue states that Fraser grew up to be “a successful television executive.” Fitting indeed.)

My Life So Far wants to be a hybrid of Unstrung Heroes and Cold Comfort Farm, but lacks the charm of either of them. Instead, it’s just a twisted little art movie that will probably get steamrollered on release.

The opening credits warn you that this “Based on a True Story.” Why they picked this story to turn into a movie is beyond me.



Off to see the wizard.