Was not expecting to laugh and cry as much as I did during John Madden’s Parkinson’s romantic drama ONWARDS AND SIDEWAYS, but I suppose that’s the power of Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney’s performances. Together, they deliver physically and emotionally demanding work that becomes something magical through their characters’ deep connection to one another. Charming, funny, heartbreaking, and deeply respectful toward those living with the illness (the film was written by Parkinson’s advocate, MBE recipient, and co-star Paul Mayhew-Archer), it can be overly sappy and mushy at times (aided, no doubt, by Thomas Newman’s score), but there’s no denying how effectively this works for a broad audience.
