Based on Raymond Briggs’s graphic novel about his parents, this hand-drawn animation looks at some of the major events of the 20th century through the eyes of a couple of ordinary Londoners. It’s affectionate and nostalgic, all tea and crumpets, net curtains and scrubbed doorsteps. But the sweetly soft-focus approach, which involves Ernest reading headlines detailing various global news events and Ethel fretting about her soft covers and social standing, is ultimately a little unsatisfying. The animation style is appealing and unthreatening, but the film lacks the beguiling magic of The Snowman or the thematic potency of When the Wind Blows.
