"Compelling" British period drama with Sherwood star David Morrissey is now streaming for free
If you want to watch a British period drama with a stellar cast and have some spare time, then one UK streamer may have the answer for you, as Hilary and Jackie is now available to watch for free in the UK.
The 1998 film sees Rachel Griffiths and Emily Watson play sisters Hilary and Jacqueline du Pré, who both found fame in the classical music industry. The period drama covers several years, charting their sharp rise and personal lives.
In addition to the leading duo, the stacked cast also includes David Morrissey, James Frain, Charles Dance, Celia Imrie, Bill Paterson and Rupert Penry-Jones. The film was directed by Anand Tucker, while Frank Cottrell-Boyce penned the screenplay.
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If you want to watch the biographical drama, then you're in luck, as it is available via Channel 4's streaming service. You'll have to hurry, however, as the listing is due to expire on 30 October.
Though it underperformed at the box office, Hilary and Jackie was acclaimed by critics and viewers alike, with Griffiths and Watson each receiving an Academy Award nomination for their performance.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the period drama currently has an impressive approval rating of 88% from 60 reviews, while the audience score is at 83%. On IMDb, meanwhile, the user rating is a solid 7.3/10 from over 11,000 logs.
"It is a pleasure to see a film that has believable characters and an engrossing story which both entertains and enlightens," wrote one user, who also praised the performances and the "powerful final scenes".
"I just can't say enough about this film. I highly recommend that if you want quality writing," wrote another viewer, who lauded the "superb acting" on display as well as the film's depiction of its "heavy subject matter".
Another user was also full of praise, remarking: "Hilary and Jackie is a film technically beautiful, with magnificent cinematography and music score and top-notch performances, highlighting the lead actresses Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths."
"Three things lift it out of the ordinary: fine acting from the entire cast; a concerted attempt, in the construction of both plot and soundtrack, to genuinely convey the importance of music in her life; and an intelligent screenplay," wrote one fan, who called it "compelling".
Hilary and Jackie is streaming now on Channel 4.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
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