Allelujah

“Alan Bennett’s NHS drama is a pot-banging success” ⋆⋆⋆⋆ The Telegraph

Legends Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi never fail to enchant, and Allelujah, a love letter to the NHS, is no exception. Adapted from Alan Bennett’s (The History Boys, Talking Heads) 2018 stage play of the same name, the story is set in a small geriatric facility that is facing closure, with its elderly residents played by a slew of national treasures that include Judi Dench, David Bradley and Derek Jacobi.

Full of witty banter and patient singalongs, Allelujah presents as a lighthearted comedy film, but beneath the surface of hilarious banter it stands as an examination of important issues faced within our strained healthcare sector. Russell Tovey (The Good Liar) supports the cast as a Department of Health consultant, whose father has struggled to accept that his son is gay. Jennifer Saunders delivers a career-high performance as Sister Gilpin, one of the facility’s practitioners. Warm, and hilarious, Allelujah beautifully pays homage to the spirit of the elderly, for an unmissable telling of the bounds of human kindness.