Morvern Callar is a 2002 British drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay and starring Samantha Morton in the title role. It is based on Alan Warner's 1995 novel of the same name.
Morvern Callar | |
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Directed by | Lynne Ramsay |
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Screenplay by |
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Based on | Morvern Callar by Alan Warner |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Alwin H. Küchler |
Edited by | Lucia Zucchetti |
Production company | Company Pictures |
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Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Box office | $729,877 (worldwide) |
Screenplay
Morvern Callar (Samantha Morton) is a young woman in a small port town in Scotland. She wakes on Christmas morning to discover that her boyfriend has killed himself, leaving a suicide note, mix tape, and the manuscript of his unpublished novel behind. His novel is dedicated to her and she decides to erase his name and puts her own name on the novel and sends it to the publisher recommended by her boyfriend. Instead of arranging a funeral with the money on his account, as requested by him, she cuts his body up and buries it in the mountains. With the money she then escapes her work stacking fruit in the groceries section of the local supermarket and goes to Almería, Costa del Sol, with her best friend Lanna (Kathleen McDermott). As they go out and party she feels she's in a different mood to Lanna and leaves her, so she can meet the publishers who have come to meet her in Spain. She plays the role of a writer and receives an advance on the novel for £100,000. Back in Scotland she tries to convince Lanna to come with her to the big world, but Lanna refuses and splits (in Spain Lanna has met a guy from Leeds who plans to visit her in Scotland). Morvern collects her suitcase and goes to the railway station.
- Samantha Morton as Morvern Callar
- Kathleen McDermott as Lanna
Morvern Callar received positive reviews from critics. It holds a rating of 78/100 on Metacritic, and an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7/10. The latter's critical consensus states, "Morton quietly makes this quirky, enigmatic mood piece a compelling watch." Morton won the 2002 British Independent Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Morvern. The movie also received the 2002 Scottish BAFTA Award for Best Actress (Kathleen McDermott), the 2002 C.I.C.A.E. Award and the Award Of The Youth at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.