Saving Grace

Plot

A small-town English widow, facing financial troubles after her husband's suicide, turns to agriculture of an illegal kind.

Release Year: 2000

Rating: 6.8/10 (9,965 voted)

Critic's Score: 62/100

Director:
Nigel Cole

Stars: Brenda Blethyn, Craig Ferguson, Martin Clunes

Storyline
A widow discovers after her husband's suicide that he has mortgaged everything they own and the banks are ready to foreclose. Faced with impending doom and little working knowledge except her ability to grow plants, she struggles to save her home. Enter her gardener, who is struggling to make a few marijuana plants grow in a hidden location and suggests that she use her green house to help grow the plants and sell them to make the money both need. He is wanting to get married, but needs capital. What he doesn't know is that his girl friend is pregnant and thus fears that they will be busted for growing marijuana. While supposedly working, the whole village including the local constable is well aware of the endeavor and is hoping for their success. When the plants come in, Grace takes the crop to London and tries to sell it to a ruthless, but charming drug dealer. Everything busts loose from there.

Writers: Mark Crowdy, Craig Ferguson

Cast:

Brenda Blethyn
–

Grace Trevethyn

Craig Ferguson
–

Matthew Stewart

Martin Clunes
–

Dr. Martin Bamford

Tchéky Karyo
–

Jacques Chevalier

(as Tcheky Karyo)

Jamie Foreman
–

China MacFarlane

Bill Bailey
–

Vince

Valerie Edmond
–

Nicky

Tristan Sturrock
–

Harvey

Clive Merrison
–

Quentin Rhodes

Leslie Phillips
–

Rev. Gerald Percy

Diana Quick
–

Honey Chambers

Phyllida Law
–

Margaret Sutton

Linda Kerr Scott
–

Diana Skinner

Denise Coffey
–

Mrs. Hopkins

Paul Brooke
–

Charlie

Taglines:
Grace's vicar thought he knew all about the burning bush…

Details

Official Website:
Fine Line |

Release Date: 1 September 2000

Filming Locations: Boscastle, Cornwall, England, UK

Opening Weekend: £402,915
(UK)
(21 May 2000)
(289 Screens)

Gross: $12,115,757
(USA)
(15 October 2000)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Some of the marijuana plants used in the shooting were real. The British government gave permission to the filming crew the use of 150 marijuana plants, under supervision of the authorities. This meant that the plants had someone guarding them on the set, and watching over its transportation to a nearby storage facility for its safekeeping at night.

Goofs:

Continuity:
The level of Grace's wine when she's talking to her late husband's lover. It goes from half to almost full as the camera switches from a side to a behind view. Also, when the wine is poured, the bottle is not tipped up long enough and it doesn't make a long enough pouring sound to put that much wine in the glass.

Quotes:

Charlie:
I'm glad to see she's keeping up the village tradition of total contempt for the law.

User Review

The kind of film Hollywood would never dare make

Rating: 8/10

I just thought it was excellent and I still do. I'm grateful we're still
able to see different stuff from what Hollywood almost floods us with.
Saving Grace is smart and enjoyable – those who feel offended by the
marijuana thing better go see the America's bride sort of
movie.

Saving Grace also shows that a funny movie doesn't have to be stupid. I was
laughing my ass off during most of it but also pondering questions about
what was the female lead character supposed to do to pay her deceased
husband's debts.

In a nutshell – a witty storyline with typical English humour and good
acting and directing. You couldn't ask for more.

7/10.