56 Up Film
The film 56 Up, as directed by Michael Apted, serves to give the impression of the significance of family and the importance of education in life and the world. The movie follows the lives of fourteen seven-year-old children from different economic backgrounds in London and their progression in life-based on their dreams. The thing I liked about the film is the fact that the three friends Sue, Lynn, and Jackie, maintained their friendship thirty years later since the original interview. Moreover, most of the show’s characters have gone on to be successful people in their lives despite their different economic and social backgrounds (Mead, 2013). The producer Michael Apted also kept up with the interviewees’ progress to keep the audience updated with their lives. However, I was not too fond of the fact that the film did little to offer either emotional or financial support for the young children at the beginning of the project. Some of the characters, such as Peter and Neil, who were poor and homeless, did not obtain any help despite being part of the program.
I could relate my experiences with those of the young London children under study by Michael Apted. Their dreams of becoming successful despite their economic backgrounds effectively resonate with mine. Just as the young children depended on education to become successful is the same way I grew up. Additionally, the challenges faced in life, such as Peter and Neil, have been similar in my situation. The experiences from the fourteen subjects under study by Michael Apted do not differ much from what I know about older people (Turan, 2013). The experiences of the film characters only show that different circumstances can change the direction of our lives. For example, someone growing up to be a teacher can find his life changed and end up being an actor. A similar situation occurred in Neil’s character, who longed to be a jockey but ended up being a cabbie. Ultimately, the film is full of life teachings on relationships, family bonds, and achievements due to hard work.