Nowhere Special, the acclaimed drama starring James Norton, is leaving a UK streamer in the coming weeks. Originally released in cinemas in 2021, the film is the highest-rated project in the actor’s career.
The drama sees Norton portray John, a single father who is only given a few months to live after being diagnosed with cancer. In his remaining time, he seeks to find an adoptive home for his four-year-old son, Michael (Daniel Lamont).
Written, produced and directed by Uberto Pasolini, the film is currently available to stream in the UK on BBC iPlayer, but you’ll have to hurry as the listing is due to expire in 25 days time on 1 June.
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Nowhere Special premiered at the 77th Venice International Film Festival in September 2020, and has been lauded by critics. It currently has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 63 reviews, making it the best-reviewed film of Norton’s career.
“Filmmaker Uberto Pasolini delivers a subtle and caring statement on navigating grief through terrific leads James Norton and young newcomer Daniel Lamont,” noted Variety, while LAist described it as “sensitive, powerful and beautifully acted”.
“For a film about loneliness and death, it’s tender, intelligent and life-affirming without ever being maudlin and mawkish,” opined Observer as they called it “rare and distinguished”, while The San Jose Mercury News remarked that it was “sensitive”.
The Boston Globe echoed this sentiment, writing: “Lighter moments aside, Nowhere Special doesn’t sugar-coat its heartbreaking premise. The film is essentially a two-hander between Norton and Lamont, both of whom give excellent, complementary performances.”
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IndieWire was similarly full of praise, opining: “That is a five-hankie premise if ever there was one, but in the hands of writer-director Uberto Pasolini and lead actor Norton, it truly becomes a movie, not just a concept masquerading as one.”
If you fancy something other than a family drama, then BBC iPlayer has plenty of other offerings. Oscar-winning crime drama The Silence of the Lambs was recently added to the service, while Michael Caine’s classic ’70s gangster thriller Get Carter is also present.
Nowhere Special is streaming on BBC iPlayer until 1 June.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.