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Scenes of a Sexual Nature

6/10

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Gina McKee, Eileen Atkins, Hugh Bonneville, Douglas Hodge, Benjamin Whitrow, Adrian Lester, Catherine Tate, Sophie Okonedo, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Andrew Lincoln

Director: Ed Blum

Would-be voyeurs should be warned in advance that there's only one scene even remotely of an overtly sexual nature in this tranquil British look at seven couples on a sunny weekday at Hampstead Heath.

There's the friendliest of divorces (Tate, Lester), the edgiest of blind dates (McKee, Bonneville), gay partners (McGregor, Hodge) discussing the viability of children, an elderly couple (Atkins, Whitrow) making an amzing discovery about their past, and several more.

It's nicely acted, literately scripted and, despite a high ratio of bad language, essentially gentle in nature. But it just drifts by, and really gets nowhere, failing to resolve (much as in real life, one supposes) any of its situations - and finally trying the patience as it floats lazily towards its conclusion.

Hampstead Heath or even Hampstead Heath Summer, in fact, might have been better - if less catchpenny - titles.

David Quinlan

USA 2006. UK Distributor: Tin Pan Films. Colour by Kodak.
92 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 30 Oct 2006