Customer Reviews

Turtle Diary [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Turtle Diary is one of those little gems of a film that sometimes come out of Britain to great critical acclaim and little American distribution. Starring Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley, it tells the tale of two older, very lonely London residents who are fascinated with the great sea turtles in the aquarium at the London Zoo. Jackson is a successful writer of children's book suffering though a major writers block. Kingsley is a dron at a local book store.

The meet by chance at the zoo and concoct a plan to liberate the sea turtles and return them to the sea. The bulk of the movie deals with the planning and execution of this plan.

This is an exercise in character study. There isn't a lot of action, but there is a lot of dialog. However, both Jackson and Kingsley are at the very top of their form in the film and the rest of the cast-a collection of well known and accomplished English character actors-provide awesome background and support for the story. There is a surprise ending of sorts, which I didn't anticipate when I first saw the film.

This is a quirky little movie that would be perfect for a romantic afternoon with your significant other.

An absolute gem of a film.

I agree with David, the first reviewer: this is a wonderful movie. It's about everyday, "average" people whose lives have become predictable routine and who seem to have little to look forward to. Two people, total strangers to one another, share a connection with the large sea turtles at their local zoo: the feeling of being trapped, feeling caged by life, and the hopelessness of it all. - This movie studies what can happen when two people rise to their potentials. It celebrates the joy that one derives when daring to embrace life. I won't tell you the story of this movie, nor how it ends, because I don't want to rob you of the deep joy I felt after I watched this movie. It's been years since I've seen it, but it has carved out a special place in my heart that no other movie has managed to push aside. This is not a movie for action lovers. It's not schmaltz, it's not a tear jerker, it's a feel-good movie that ranks among the finest out there. I wish they'd put it on DVD! I have the laserdisc version, which thankfully preserved the movie's original aspect ratio.

As one reviewer pointed out, the plight of the sea turtles -- fully grown and just swimming in circles in a much-too-small tank -- is a metaphor for the condition of the two main protagonists, who are middle-aged and trapped in the unfulfilling lives they have become used to. They hatch a plot to release the turtles back into the open sea, and in the process begin their own journey. If you hate this film, you are either extremely young, extremely fortunate, or have never felt the frustration of being in a rut. This is an utterly delightful film in my opinion, because it omits explosions and special effects and fast cars and focuses on lives people actually live -- and with a happy ending, too. Excellent on all accounts, and it definitely needs to be put on DVD.

I love this film. It's honest from beginning to end. The acting is terrific -- of course Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley are great, but so are the actors in the smaller roles. I want it to be widely available and on DVD.

Possibly the most miserable waste of time to come by the screen. I hated Turtle Diary and recommend it as often as possible to friends (non of whom have ever heard of it) in hopes that I may be the cause of their misery in watching it. Really it's pointless and tasteless, except that the producer seems so having something for flares of red in an otherwise bland set--this having no connection to the story, but seems as though it should in some twisted way. This movie is always near my top 10 picks in hopes that someone will chance to watch it on my account--a delight of which I have not yet enjoyed--but when said event occurs, I will cackle with glee. Seeing as I anticipate this future merth I easily rate Turtle Diary at 5 stars. I might buy this movie someday when feeling wealthy and unsatisfied with people in general.