jotix100 The arrival of the year 2000 marked a series of celebration in the world. England had big plans for the arrival of the millennium, so it was only fitting the organization for the awaited event fell in one of the country's most regarded P.R. men, Gideon Warner. Gideon, in much demand, begins work into what was going to be a spectacular display from a dome that was to be the center piece of the glittering night.Gideon Warner did not come from the rich classes. As a matter of fact, he was a self made man. He has had many women in his life. As we meet him, he is living with one woman that is into the ritzy life in which Gideon moves. At one point, she comments they have received twenty seven invitations to different affairs in which his appearance is a must. Natasha, his only daughter, resents his father infidelities to her mother while she was living. In fact, Gideon committed the ultimate sin of not being by her bedside while a younger Natasha has to experience her demise because he was on the phone taking care of his personal business.When the parents of a dead boy appear at his door demanding an explanation as to why he was killed, the target is one of Gideon's clients, a politician he has been advising on his image. The grieving father wants to make the man pay for what he perceives was the cause of death, but Gideon takes him back to his office, thus preventing a bigger confrontation. Stella, the mother of the boy, is not as aggressive. In fact, Stella is a free spirit who quickly transforms Gideon from the style of life into a caring human being, bringing him closer to Natasha in the process.A television film directed by Stephen Poliakoff, was shown on a cable channel recently. It might have been distributed as a commercial feature, but we are not certain it was the case. The action takes place in 1997 and the death of Princess Diana is prominently shown as part as the action. The screenplay is by the director, who wanted perhaps to paint a broad canvas about that part of British society at the center of the action, which could well be the same as in America or other countries where the media is predominant in public affairs, and how it affects the people behind it.Bill Nighy is Gideon Warner, walking as though in a fog throughout the film. Miranda Richardson appears as Stella, a much down to earth person completely the opposite from Gideon. Their romance seems a bit far fetched, at best. A blonde Emily Blunt plays Natasha, the young woman that has grown up resenting her father and all what he stands for. Robert Lindsay serves as the narrator, in a role that does not make much sense, but he is an actor that is welcome in anything because of his winning personality.

ennor I just love Poliakoff - apart from 'Perfect Strangers' which bored me immensely. I found 'Shooting The Past' to be breathtaking, but 'Gideon's Daughter' occupies a different space altogether. It's about a lot of things - celebrity, grief - expressed and unexpressed - forgiveness and redemption. It's also about love and friendship, and a place where the two overlap.I watched Bill Nighy closely throughout, and for me he never put a foot - or a hand, or a glance, or stare - wrong. Equally as exquisite was Miranda Richardson as Stella, the divorced woman whose son has died, and whose ex-husband (played by David Westhead) cannot let go of the need to 'right' a wrong.In a way, this film is about nothing at all, and yet it encompasses so much that I'm finding it difficult to review. Don't expect to understand it all - I didn't, but that could be my short-coming. But I loved it so much I want to see it again and again. I just hope others love it as much as did I.

rbrb BBC Entertainment cable channel lauded the presentation of this show recently so with some anticipation I viewed it. What a big mistake and what a waste of time. To borrow from just a few of the other reviewers here "pointless self indulgent" drivel. The story is all over the place and the writer appears to be making it up as he goes along. Apart from the daughter the two main characters come across as selfish uninteresting individuals who look and portray themselves as old: very old which in fact they are not.The story in brief:A father is obsessed with what he believes to be his "love" for his daughter, and meets a woman who has lost a child in a road accident and can't get over it. The father and the woman have an exceedingly boring love affair. Thats' it.Add all sorts of unnecessary pretentious and phony sub plots. Beyond belief that this film won some awards. Proves can fool some of the people all of the time.Lucky to get:2/10.

zazzoo I have now seen 'Gideon's Daughter' twice and still don't quite know how the man does it, whilst in it's glow you think it the most beautiful and spellbinding story and one wishes that it would never end. But once it does and you stand back, you realise it is actually about nothing at all, weak on story and overly sentimental and abusing the clichéd rules of scriptwriting (no telephone conversations, no narration, no flashbacks etc) with aloof disregard. You suddenly understand that a work of such quality does not have to follow antiquated misguidance, but can exist outside the usual trends and survive purely on it's own merits, characters, dialogue and empathy reign! SEE IT!