What We Did On Our Holiday

Any fans of the English TV series, Outnumbered, will find something to like with this film written by the same creators, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. There are obvious similarities upfront – a London couple struggling to deal with three precocious kids who not only outnumber but usually outwit them – but What We Did On Our Holiday takes a somewhat unexpected and refreshing turn after establishing that premise. The Outnumbered formula of the kids having leeway to improvise around the script is adhered to as well, with some disarmingly funny scenes occurring where the adults’ laughter is obviously genuine.

The parents are played by former Doctor Who favourite, David Tennant, and Rosamund Pike fresh from success in U.S. films such as Gone Girl and Jack Reacher. They’re Doug and Abi, who are recently separated but pretending not to be for the purposes of attending Doug’s father, Gordie’s (Billy Connolly), birthday party. The kids – an adorable young girl (Harriet Turnbull), a boy who says all the things he’s not supposed to in company (Bobby Smalldridge), and a sensitive older girl (Emelia Jones) – are under strict orders not to tell anyone that Mummy and Daddy don’t live in the same house because they don’t want to ruin Gordie’s last birthday. You see, he’s dying of cancer.

After an argument-filled car journey to the stately Scottish home of Doug’s brother, Gavin (Ben Miller), plans are put in place for an over-the-top birthday event. But the last thing Gordie wants is a fuss so he takes off to the beach with the kids in tow to avoid the preparations. What happens next is best not given away in detail but it’s certainly different! 

The film is a mixture of humour and more poignant, deeper moments as you’d expect from the subjects of Doug and Abi’s marriage break-up, Gordie’s ill health, Doug and Gavin’s jealousies and Gavin’s wife’s (Amelia Bullimore) strange behaviour that features in an hilarious YouTube grab. Naturally, Billy Connolly is the lovable old rogue but he’s often upstaged by the kids who are all fantastic. 

While the film has a PG rating, it might be a bit mature for certain kids with some of its themes so caution is advised before you take the whole family along. 

by Vicki Englund