When thinking about one’s family, we tend to remember our parents as parents, and rarely as people of their own. Ethel & Ernest, based on Raymond Briggs’ beloved graphic memoir of his own parents, instead focuses on two ordinary spouses in extraordinary times, sharing some of the day-to-day moments that show their affection, but is clearly marked by the times they’re in, materially and politically. The watercolor design is a cleaner, more modern update of the original illustrations, while Briggs’ handwritten speech bubbles still retain their character through Jim Broadbent’s and Brenda Blethyn’s voices. It’s just a loving, but still honest, depiction of one’s parents, one that makes you think about your own.
Synopsis
This hand drawn animated film, based on the award winning graphic novel by Raymond Briggs, is an intimate and affectionate depiction of the life and times of his parents, two ordinary Londoners living through extraordinary events.
Storyline
London, 1920s-1970s. Ordinary couple Ethel and Ernest Briggs form a relationship, and eventually, a marriage that endures through the extraordinary events of the century.
TLDR
The photos at the end were devastating, but that’s because of how well we got to know both of them.
What stands out
Western animation usually leans more on the action-fantasy genre, so it’s refreshing to see a calmer, slice-of-life perspective in Ethel & Ernest.