Little England (2013) User Reviews (18)

Greece's Hidden Treasure

[Vaggre84 · 9/10 · 8 March 2014]

Great cinematography of landscapes and faces, portrays the unseen Greek island, the Greek people of the 30s, and a story about romance, submission and the silent triumph of love.

It grasps you from the beginning, so long you settle with the way these people are to speak. To my opinion, mostly when they are in silence, true performances emerge to be given by some of Greece's youngest and eldest actors, performances that go back and go deep into the human tale.

And, not to be missed! , one of the most excruciating scenes since the beginning of cinema, performed by Pinelopi Tsilika.

LONG YET UNMISSABLE (proud to be Greek sometimes...)

[theonianz · 9/10 · 21 December 2013]

Little England is the beautiful Greek island of Andros, in the 1930's - an island breeding sailors who spend most of their lives at sea, while some of them are destined never to return. Their women – mothers, daughters, wives, lovers - adjust their own lives to the pattern of the men's absence, looking forward to the happy yet brief homecomings, always praying for their safety, always half-dreading the worst.

This is the premise of the film's story - a tragic love story of epic proportions - based on Ioanna Karystiani's best-selling book. Mrs. Karystiani herself finely adapts her novel for the screen, while her husband, renowned Greek director Pantelis Voulgaris ("Brides") takes it from there and, with the help of a great cast of actors, creates an almost flawless masterpiece.

(I am not supposed to give away any spoilers, so I can only say that the film's climactic scene will probably make it to my personal top ten movie moments of all time).

Definitely worth seeing

[nassosk · 7/10 · 16 July 2015]

If you 're Greek, you always know what you 're in for when you choose to see a Pantelis Voulgaris film: lovely visuals and cinematography, excellent, meticulous production, faithful representation of older times and a weak scenario. The subject is always interesting, the main idea will grasp your attention, but the plot just doesn't keep you interested.

For me, this holds true for Mikra Anglia as well. The idea is there, the setting is there, the characters are right, the production is state-of-the-art, but the story just doesn't come out strong.

I have two objections regarding the plot then:

1. You get an early twist in the story but from then on you 're not really sure what's going on, between the two main characters, if anything. Somehow, instead of watching what's actually happened, we are merely told at the end of the film through a narrative by the main character. For me this technique didn't work in this film.

2. Simply put, not enough is happening for a 2hr38min movie.

These said, it is a fresh story, with excellent images and good acting, definitely worth seeing if you 've had enough with clichés.

An exceptional work of art

[amoirio · 10/10 · 30 March 2014]

Mikra Aglia is a rare work of art . Pictures like paintings on a wall, music perfectly matched , excellency in acting and directing all in one film. Feelings of love and despair will reach your heart if you watch this film. The director slowly drags you to be part of the beautiful environment of the Greek island of Andros . In some dramatic scenes I felt like I was in the room witnessing the drama . A unique masterpiece. A film not to be missed from all those who seek quality cinema in a time when thousands of trash movies full of violence are produced ,mainly from the US, and consumed by societies increasing the real violence in them. I watched the film yesterday night and I will watch it again today . I watched more than one hundred films in the last six months and I felt the need to write a review only twice , for this film and for the "Best offer" of Giussepe Tornatore .

Thank you director ( Pantelis Voulgaris ) for the gift of watching this film .

A must see!

[nmamalos · 10/10 · 10 December 2013]

Pantelis Voulgaris in his best so far film. The actors, photography, scrip everything was in tune! I am Just grateful I have watched this film! The aesthetics have a unique character. The cinematography gives of a real character to the film. Every angle is beautiful and truly can me isolated, framed and hung on a wall. Nevertheless it is so humble without exaggerations operates in favor of the storytelling. The characters are very well written and have an amazing depth to a point that become symbols. The actors gave wonderful performances and in many cases we see excellency in acting. After leaving the cinema I felt that I have seen something magnificent. I cannot recall many films giving me such filling!

Criminally Ignored

[alessandrapachano-61209 · 10/10 · 18 April 2015]

It's surprising that this film only has eight reviews. It is not a perfect film, but it's definitely worth much more attention.

It shows the life of the Greek seamen's wives with very beautiful landscapes, costumes and scenes. These aspects showed to be well taken care of. I just wonder what happened to make up, it looked amateur at times. The performances were good in general, some were outstanding.

Even though love triangles featuring siblings have been done before (obviously) what the story tells doesn't feel wore out at all and has a lot to offer. It is an outstanding story (it must be a good book). Beautiful and heartbreaking this movie happened to awake a petty feeling in me: the jealousy some characters felt. I'm definitely grateful to a movie that touches me that way. The only thing I feel sorry about is teenagers watching crappy movies like fifty shades of gray while touching and culturally rich movies like this one are criminally ignored.

pd: excuse my English

Speechless

[starsun-01057 · 10/10 · 2 October 2019]

One of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Its what you call a quality film. Exquisite portrayal of the sisterhood. Lust, love, jealousy and passion are shown in the most tearful, humane way.

Greek epic story of love found... and lost

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 6 June 2016]

Dramatic, angry, cold ocean scene with the waves crashing. We're told right at the beginning that it's 1930. Greek chick "Orsa" loves local dude Spyros, because he's NOT a captain, and therefore he won't be lost at sea as so many others have been. Unfortunately, her mother has other plans. She marries a "Captain", and it's pretty much all sad and mournful from there on out. And to make matters worse, her younger sister "Moscha" ends up marrying Spyros, the guy she wanted to marry. A Jane Austen drama. Anyhoo. BEAUTIFUL outdoor scenery of Greece. Of course, with World War II looming, the men folk all head off to war, and we know that one of the husbands will soon be knocked off.... but which one ? and which secrets will come out? The secrets DO come out and there is bad blood between the sisters. Kind of goes on and on. Bland and bleak. Needed some humor or something to zing it up. Although it DID win a bunch of awards at the various film festivals. Written by Ioanna Karystiani. Directed by Pantelis Voulgaris, who had been working in films since the 1960s. Everything is very well done, its just a very long, serious story. Two hours.

Beautifully Heartbreaking

[jasminn_tan · 9/10 · 28 April 2019]

The moment I started watching this movie, I knew it was going to hurt me. And it did. Imagine finding out that your sister is getting married to the man you have secretly loved for the longest time. My god. It was painful to watch, especially because Pinelopi Tsilika was so emotive and her emotions felt so raw. I felt like I wasn't privy to her feelings. She brought all her anguish and pain to the surface and it was almost difficult to watch. She's truly a standout in this movie.

What's the fuzz about?

[teodoreh · 6/10 · 2 January 2014]

OK, it's Pantelis Boulgaris, but how about the rest of the package? I think that the director should choose a different - more interesting - story/script in order to build his movie.

Story is weak and not something we haven't seen before. Acting of main character (Tsilika) is weak. In couple of occasions you may feel that you are watching a play and not a movie. Of course this is not entirely her fault since the script asks her to perform those non-realistic monologues while make-up and photography are just too realistic and doesn't help someone who is not a doctor to understand certain conditions. To be precise at least twice people laughed at the cinema, and both occasions had to do with makeup and photography of her.

Part of the story made me feel I had a Deja-Vu with the movie "H timh this agapis" (1984), but without a clear message this time. Anyways, I think that "Mikra Anglia" has a decent story to tell, strong emotions, some good performances (Aneza Papadopoulou, Constantinou) with very good representation of life on a Greek Island on the ww2 era. But it's not a masterpiece, nor something you would like to see a second time.

Striking! But could be better

[gokselll · 8/10 · 8 August 2019]

Within a general view, this movie is highly above average. Moreover, the last 40-45 minutes of the movie is almost perfect; proper cinematography, aesthetic scenes and succesful tension of psychological portrays.

But, the movie has a rhytm problem. Within different parts of the movie, events happen in different time speeds. In the beginning, years flow rapidly and some major matters happen in seconds or minutes. In middle parts, while rapid flowing continues, a moderate speed starts to determine the scenes. Finally, in last 40-45 minutes, the movie finds its rhytm and every seconds of movie gets more staggering.

Except rhytm problem; it is an awesome drama.

Amazing

[efthimis_antonopoulos · 9/10 · 12 June 2020]

The cast and the performances are brilliant! A true masterpiece ! Love , pain, duty.

A stunning piece of beauty

[loadham · 10/10 · 8 January 2022]

I came here retrospectively, being 9 years late, in need to tell you why I believe that this film is an utter masterpiece of the modern hellenic cinematography.

The actors; their acting, the photography, the music, the directing and the scenario, everything literally accounts to the masterpiece that this movie is. All three main actors play their roles exceptionally well. Penelope Tsilika though gives a recital of acting, for which in some parallel fair universe she would have won an Oscar!

Mikra Anglia is an ode to deep, real, unfulfilled love, and to the inevitability of life and fate. Can't be anything less than 10/10.

Excellent photography of the Greek island

[aikaterina-885-91369 · 8/10 · 1 January 2014]

The film is surely worth seeing. The scenario is a moving romance with a touch of humble human sentiments frequently encountered in middle class families. The cast is almost perfect. The internal and external scenery is, to my opinion, the big hit of the movie. The other is the affectionate and caring as well as harsh and absolute relationships prevailing in the micro-society of a small island of the 1930's, where everyone is somehow relative to the other and secrets cannot be hidden forever. However, it doesn't fail to share the general sentimental exaggeration of Voulgaris' films - to some viewers the most attractive side of his movies.

Best best best

[annitaskar · 10/10 · 22 August 2023]

One of the best movies I've ever seen based on book! I couldn't decide if I preferred most this movie or the book! Just a masterpiece!

The scenario is faithful on the book. The actors play exceptionally! Every minute you see their glances, you feel more angry with the timidity of Orsa and of the superficiality of Spiros, to let go such a beautiful life they could have lived. You feel their love pain and at the same time, their pane of getting hurt their families, especially Moschoula. The last scene, when Orsa screams his name was outstanding! I was feeling that I was at a theater, watching a play! It was so intense!

Also, the scenery was so beautiful. It gave you a peaceful feeling in this turbulent atmosphere of the exlovers.

A view on the film, Little England

[al-capone-dog · 8/10 · 28 July 2014]

It is a truly beautiful film, director Pantelis Voulgaris, who in the past has successfully made enough quality film in Greece, which had the most on the political situation in the country by the government of the conservative and and the way he behaved this, the losers of the civil war after the defeat of the Nazis in the second world war. Most movies Voulgaris show what really happened in Greece and what fate does the Greek state, those who fought the German occupation in 1941-1944. Filmmaker old film shows why the British and then the Americans, for their own interests caused the bloody civil war in Greece claiming openly associates the Germans causing carnage dead in the country, while the rest of Europe had already begun rebuilding.

A gem

[kairoskop · 9/10 · 16 March 2024]

Modern greek cinema has many flaws and generally tends to absurdity in its effort to be original and unique. But this movie stands out and feels so real, so grounded, so familiar and yet so original and unique.

The actors all give astounding performances and the music score, cinematography, photograph are contributing excellently to this beautiful movie.

It is a drama, in the original sense of the word although the ending offers no catharsis like the ancient drama. It does simulate though meaningful thoughts as to the pursuit of happiness in life.

One will not regret spending the time to watch this movie.

Ambivalent about this movie

[ursuladuke · 8/10 · 28 January 2024]

I watched this movie when it was first released and I didn't find myself in awe, unlike literally everyone else I knew. So, I gave it a second and a third chance, because I didn't want to be unjust. It's definitely an extremely meticulously made film, with exceptional aesthetics and use of sounds. I found the parallelism of people's feelings to the sea's temper astounding. BUT. I have a major issue with the very essence of the film; it's overly dramatic portrayal of a tragic story. I do realize the movie's totally different era, culture and values, but I can't digest easily one's submission -especially without a fight- to an unwanted fate that somebody else imposes on them. Plus, I found the acting to be quite unnatural and over the top, to the point it felt disturbing -especially by Moscha and sometimes by Orsa and their mother. I understand the director's poetic/theatrical point of view, it just felt too much and too dragged for me. However, it is a beautiful movie, absolutely worth watching and reflecting upon.