Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Phillida Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

arinryu I agree with review by Karien Van Der Westhuizen. I am very disappointed that despite the progress we have nowadays, none of historical movies can honestly depict historical butch/ftm characters as whom they really were. I am sorry but Anne Lister was not a feminine lesbian as depicted here. I know that TV shows and movies hate butch lesbian/transgender/intersex characters but to distort historical figures again and again is unforgivable. Another example is the feminizing of Queen Kristina's hair and dresses in the movie "The Girl King". Both Queen Kristina and Anne Lister are among the most interesting masculine queer historical figures. Anne was a butch lesbian/ftm, while Queen Kristina was intersex/butch/ftm but both are re-characterized and suppressed to fit the typical Hollywood-styled cisgenders' feminine-lesbian fantasy. Having read about real Anne Lister's lives, I find these movies hard to watch. Otherwise, this movie is fine.

Irishchatter I really did like watching this television movie because it was interesting to see what a real persons life was like back in the 19th century when being a lesbian was a shocking thing to be (rubbish). I have never heard of the real Anne Lister before, I had read about her life on Wikipedia and it was even more grimly in real life then the movie. Her life was full of people talking absolute nonsense about the way she was dressed and how she was harassed many times by dirty men who needed to mind their own business. It must've been scary for Anne even as a landowner! It was too bad during those times about who you should really love and not go for the one you don't love!Anyways back to the film, Maxine Peake did such an amazing performance on Anne Lister. She really did make a great effort being in character and she would just blow you away!I think this movie is definitely something you should give to your partner on Christmas or valentines day!

Yunyun Z Anne Lister is a landowner, an entrepreneur and a traveler in 18th and 19th century Yorkshire. Her secret is learnt by others from her four million coded word diary hundreds of years later. The film unveils the mystery, tells her lesbian life and her courage in love and secularism.Anne has an angular face with firm eyes. Dressing in black clothes and hat reflects her masculine character. The whole story narrates the ups and downs of Anne's blazing love life. Her true love is pretty Mariana and their relationship lasts several years. Their kisses, touching and sex make you blush. She wants to be a real couple with Mariana, and live with her for her whole life and take care of her as her husband. But Mariana trifles with Anne's affections. Mariana is closeted and does not want to reveal their relationship to the public. In the end, she marries to an old man. Anne is miserable and heartbroken after she realizes Mariana does not want to be a real couple and live with her. Lovelorn failure does not stop Anne. She has lots of accomplishments in her career, better than many men. She never stops her persistent pursuit for love. Finally, she finds the one who suits her, and they live together. Anne Lister's distinct personality impresses me. The strong lady never shrinks back. She deserves respect and admiration.

Karien Van Der Westhuizen Melodramatic, heteroed-down version of the life of a predatory, hairy, self-assured, male- identified 19th century woman of means. I knew nothing of Anne Lister's life, but found this movie patronising from the word go. Watching the nervous though more honest documentary included on the BBC DVD afterwards, confirmed why. The film portrays Lister as a femme, melodramatic woman whose only quirk is to wear black and no makeup. The sex scenes are unconvincing, and great liberty is taken to no doubt make the main character a bit more palatable for mainstream audiences. In the documentary it emerges that Lister was rather arrogant, very butch, shrewd in love and business, and also sported a grey stubble. The film fails to examine what it really must've been like for a lesbian in Lister's position ~ instead we are treated to a flaky tragic love story which might titillate hetero men and women. It feels like the film says 'lesbians are people too, and look they are all hairless and have heteronormative female traits such as big dresses, high-heel shoes and emotional theatrics". What a pity ~ let's hope someone will at some point make a serious film about this fascinating character!