The long goodbye

A FAMILY FACE UP TO THE LOSS OF THEIR TERMINALLY ILL MUM AS CHRISTMAS NEARS IN KATE WINSLET'S WEEPY DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

- REVIEWS BY DAMON SMITH

CHRISTMAS is a time for family and Oscar winner Kate Winslet keeps her emotionally-wrought feature directorial debut in the family, wringing copious tears from a powerhouse cast using a script written by her 21-year-old son, Joe Anders.

Keep hankies tucked up sleeves because the saltwater quotient on screen becomes a torrent in a second hour punctuated by overly tidy scenes of forgiveness and deep self-reflection.