Is Anybody There?

Set in 1980s seaside England, Is Anybody There? tells the story of ten-year-old Edward (Bill Milner) whose parents have turned their house into a retirement home. While his mother struggles to keep the family business afloat and his father copes with the onset of a mid-life crisis, Edward becomes increasingly obsessed with the ghosts and afterlives of the residents when they die. Edward’s is a lonely existence until he meets Clarence (Michael Caine), the latest arrival at the home, a retired magician and grieving widower who refuses to give in gracefully to old age. Their relationship begins at odds until Clarence notices that the boy is growing up even more fitfully than he is growing old. As they begin to face life together, Clarence comes to terms with his past, Edward tames his obsession with the unknown and they are both reminded of what magic is possible when life is lived to its fullest.

“A finely drawn and gentle British drama propelled by another of the star's unforgettable screen portraits.” (Betsy Sharkey, L.A. Times)

“Blending humor and heartbreak in a performance that makes a small movie a richly satisfying one, Caine truly is magic.” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)

“A triumphant true gem of a film with Michael Caine giving one of the finest performances of his career.” (Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com)

“What balances the movie is Mr. Caine's exceptional portrayal of old age as the accumulation of a lifetime’s experience. In his performance the child, the youthful rogue and the forgetful codger all live at once.” (Stephen Holden, New York Times)