Mum’s List Review

Films about cancer often fall into the same tropes, and abide by the same formula, moving viewers by default at times, not necessarily thanks to the diligence and resourcefulness of the filmmaker. But in Niall Johnson’s Mum’s List – based on a true story – we’re dealing with the familiar stomping ground with a certain delicacy, making for a picture that takes some doing to sit through. Even the more cynical of film-goer will be reaching for the tissues in this one, because it’s a beautifully well-crafted, and staggeringly moving British drama.

Rafe Spall plays Singe, a devoted husband, and father of two young boys – facing up to his wife’s forthcoming death. Kate (Emilia Fox) hasn’t been diagnosed with cancer for too long, but after going through chemotherapy, doctors have informed her there’s no point carrying on the treatment. Leaving behind the three people in the world she holds dearest, knowing fully well they’ll all be without that vital female presence in their lives, she decides to leave behind a collection of notes, life lessons for her family to take with them, with the hope they’ll be able to lead a fulfilling life, despite not having her in it.

There’s a vital sense of subtlety to Johnson’s work, evoking a strong emotional reaction from the viewer without resorting to manipulation. Much of that is down to his creative means of storytelling, and while this may be a narrative we’ve seen played out before, we haven’t seen it told in this particular, non-linear way, as we move seamlessly between flashbacks and the present day. As a result it allows for us to peer into Kate’s reaction, deviating away from the more obvious choice to merely show us how her family are grieving, we watch as she readies herself, and her family, for her departure. This is epitomised in the film’s most compelling sequence, as Fox turns in a tour-de-force with an impassioned, lengthy monologue to camera. She is matched at every turn by Spall, as the pair shine in the leading roles.

Mum’s List lingers over the notion of death by looking into all the finer details, not the monumental aspects of her passing, but on the everyday elements, the side to grieving that hits us hardest, as we’re reminded daily, by the smallest of things, of what we’ve lost, and the memories we still obtain. Surprisingly, this film has an uplifting spirit to it too, it’s a feature that makes you want to cherish the ones you love, to live for every single day – and when a film can trigger such a profound response from its audience, it can only be considered a truly great thing.