Ladies in Lavender MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: -1

Its 1936, and folks in a small Cornish village seem far removed from ominous reports of Hitlers advances. Elderly sisters Ursula (Judi Dench) and Janet (Maggie Smith) lead a quiet, rather monotonous life on the rugged English coast. Their lives brighten considerably the day they find a young man, a shipwreck survivor, barely breathing on the rocky beach. They welcome him into their home to recuperate, bickering with each other and fussing over him like two mother hens. The sisters discover Andrea (Daniel Bruhl) is Polish, speaks no English, has a broken ankle and is a talented violinist. Ursula develops a crush on him while Janets feelings are more maternal. Another stranger, beautiful Olga (Natascha McElhone), barges onto the scene, creating suspicion as she and Andrea converse in Polish. Along with a beautiful musical score, Ladies in Lavender is humorous and thoroughly entertaining for movie fans hungry for quality.

Ursula and Janet reflect the basic need we all have for purpose in our lives. They see an opportunity to save a strangers life and immediately respond. Ursulas school-girl crush on Andrea reveals that she never experienced love as a young girl, and this longing finally surfaces. She fantasizes briefly about him, but there is no inappropriate behavior, just genuine affection and longing for her lost youth. She reacts like a petulant child to Janets hovering over Andrea, demanding her older sister apologize for overstepping her boundaries. Andrea misreads Olgas interest in him, but she quickly rebuffs his advances. Except for a brief flashback of Andreas near-drowning, there is no violence. Questionable elements include two fully clothed men relieving themselves with their backs to the camera and brief drunkenness. The low negative acceptability rating is due to one use of the f-word.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: Roadside Attraction