YORKSHIRE WRITER Blake Morrison's memoir of his father becomes one of those nice, gentle, tearful dramas that the Brits do so well.

It's not earthshattering, but is nicely done. It'll make you laugh, make you cry and make you reflect on your own family relationships. Above all, it offers some of our finest actors the chance to emote like mad in a stiff upper lipped sort of way.

A bank holiday trip in the car opens the film as Arthur (Jim Broadbent) impatiently and illegally overtakes a long queue of traffic much to the embarrassment of his family, notably his eight-year-old son, Blake.

The film flashes back and forth, replaying scenes from the family past, as the adult Blake (Colin Firth) deals with his father's terminal illness.

He discovers that his father was a flirt with a history of adultery that Blake's mother (Stevenson) chose to ignore.

No wonder the father/son relationship is often one of conflict, although there are happier times too.

Director Anand Tucker is well served, as you'd expect given the names in the cast, by effective central performances from Broadbent and Firth as father and son. They're surrounded by a wealth of British talent in supporting role, including Matthew Beard as the younger Blake.

Starring: Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson, Gina McKee, Claire Skiller, Matthew Beard
Running time: 92 mins
Rating: Three stars