No hope left in 'Hope Springs'

Hope Springs

Director: Mark Herman

Cast: Heather Graham, Colin Firth, Minnie Driver, Frank Collison, Oliver Platt, Mary Steenburgen

Cert: 15.

Six actors in search of a plot.

Based on Charles Webb's novel, New Cardiff, this is a film of much promise - largely undelivered - in which a fine cast searches desperately for a means to make what they're doing come alive.

The plotline is conventional.

Bumbling English artist, Firth, fetches up in New England town to get his life back together again following disastrous romance with Driver.

It is a town sidewalk to sidewalk full of odd-ball characters - and as such gives the cast hardly anything to work on.

It might have been so much better for there are moments which suggest as much: a bit of clever dialogue here, a moment of inspiration toyed with but left to die there, not unlikable characters everywhere.

If our hopes did spring, they clumped to Earth with a resounding thump as we watch all the chances for a minor gem squashed.

Star Rating: 2/5