The Be All and End All

Colour, 35 mm
United Kingdom, 2009, 90 min
Section: Variety Critics’ Choice

Synopsis

A terminally ill 15-year-old wants to get laid before meeting his maker in The Be All and End All, a working-class British dramedy that hits the sweet spot with its delicate balance of outrageous humor and heartfelt (though never sappy) drama. Like many teens before him, Liverpudlian lad Robbie is really curious about sex, but after he’s diagnosed with a fatal heart condition, he’s afraid he’ll die a virgin. In order to avoid arriving at heaven’s door undefiled, he begs his best mate, Ziggy, to help him find a girl willing to go all the way. But this proves tougher than it sounds, as the bedridden Robbie can’t leave the hospital. Right through to the end, producer-director Webb never underplays the seriousness of Robbie’s condition, though the film also has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and the camaraderie between Ziggy and Robbie feels real.