The opening scene of this film tells you everything you need to know about the main character, Howard, and his relationship with his daughter, Grace. She drives out to his house in the arse-end of nowhere, bringing with her a cake for his birthday. He sits in the musty dark of his livingroom, doing the crossword, surrounded by stacks of old newspaper and general detritus and clutter. He doesn’t look when she calls his name, barely glances at the birthday cake she’s brought him. When she goes into the kitchen, it’s full of dirty dishes, rotting food, and a sink full of old drawers for the wash. She’s bought him a washing machine, but he refuses to use it. He gives not a fuck about her, expects her to pick up after him, and won’t even meet her halfway, because why would he? Why would he care how much work he makes for her or how exhausted she is?
He brightens when his sons show up for their annual drop-by, there to enjoy the party after Grace has tidied and cleaned and prepared food for them. They brag about their latest holidays and bring their dad expensive gifts. Then fuck off never to be seen for the rest of the movie, leaving Grace with the day-to-day drudgery of looking after their father.
And I just looked at Howard and thought, “Ye auld bastard”. Auld, dirty, bastard. Probably stinks of piss coz he never bothers to air the house or change his trousers and leaves his washing to pile up for someone else to do. Fucking picked up after all his life, by his mother, then his wife, and now his daughter’s to do it, because of course she is, that’s what she’s for.
Grace is a nurse who works long hours, her marriage is crumbling because, by putting herself last in everything, she’s left her partner alone in their relationship. Every spare minute she has is spent worrying about her father, because he takes no responsibility for looking after himself.
When she hires Annie as a home help, against Howard’s wishes, it’s in the hope it might give her just a fraction of relief. But unexpectedly a romance blooms between Annie and Howard.
This is a love story, but it’s also a lack of love story. Howard spends Christmas with Annie and her family, doesn’t even bother to invite Grace or mention his plans with his new circle, leaving her to turn up as an unwanted guest in own childhood home. At dinner he gives a toast, thanking for all she’s done, all the help she’s been, all the light and love she’s brought into his life, Annie. Grace, invisible at the other end of the table, is the ghost at the feast. Later, when Grace asks what it is about Annie that has turned him around so radically, made him this laughing, joking, story-telling life of the party, he tells Grace that he loves Annie. The implication being that he never made any effort to laugh or joke or be his best self with Grace because he doesn’t love her. It’s so brutal and cold and callous.
The main plot is the love story between Howard and Annie, and Grace’s objections are the hurdle they have to clear. But Grace warns Annie that her father is so enamoured with her now, after she’s come to him as a paid servant, after she’s cooked and cleaned and made him comfortable in all his wants and needs. And while she’s shiny and new, he will be jovial, but Annie should be warned that it will not last. Because he’s a selfish auld bastard and he loves her only in so far as it costs him nothing and serves him. And quite frankly Grace is right on the money.
Annie is a domestic abuse survivor, and Grace’s warning shakes her, because going through something like that makes you constantly question yourself, question your judgement, look with suspicion upon people who profess their love for you. And it would be easier for their romance if Grace was wrong, but she’s not. To the last in this film, Howard puts himself first, his ego, his enjoyment. He is exactly who Grace tells her he is.
In some ways I resented that Howard gets this beautiful romance, because he doesn’t deserve it. But love doesn’t come because we deserve it. This will be the last love of Howard and Annie’s lives. It’s up to them whether to embrace it.
Beautifully shot, beautifully acted, very emotive.