Ira Kirtak
I think I'll just retell the whole movie. My recommendation is "Don't watch it!" but one has to admire the writer's inconsistency and fantasy.This is one of those movies that I actually regret to have sat through, it's so dreadful. It starts out... well, more or less OK. I found it a bit hard to believe that Andy falls for Claire so suddenly - she's not that special, just a regular woman - but they tried to explain that using pictures of his hectic life at home as contrast. So OK. I know sometimes married men get these weird ideas like "I can't get you out of my head" after just one night, I've seen it, so OK, I can believe that. It looked a bit pathetic but then again, it always does.I rather liked the break-up talk that Andy had with his wife - that was very well played and very believable. They did drag it out a bit longer than necessary, but not by much. It was the only watchable piece of this movie.Naturally, after separation the wife and eldest daughter try to turn Andy's life into hell. All was going well with the story until people start doing the most unexplainable things with no clear motivation. Paul starts stalking Claire more actively, Claire suddenly falls out of love with Andy (exactly when he moves in with her), and finally kicks Andy out. That's when the story goes down the toilet. Andy goes back to live with his wife (who insists on sharing the same bed all the while hating him), Claire agrees to marry her ex. Claire's happy, Elaine's miserable, Andy's miserable. I have to tell you, miserable Mark Strong is not a pretty sight. I also just don't understand neither Elaine nor Claire in their willingness to take back their disloyal exes, but maybe it's just my total inability to forgive and to forget.At this point I started to wonder what they were going to do with the remaining hour of the story. I figured out 3 possible outcomes (although each of them would take about 15 minutes of screen time):1) Claire sees the error of her ways, dumps Paul, Andy rushes into her open arms and they live very happily until her death does them part, after which Andy lives on, mourning, alone, with his sorrow and distant memories of happiness. Although for a short time, it's been in his life, so that would make his life worth living.2) Claire seriously falls for Paul all over again, they get married and bugger off into sunset. Andy lives his dull life with no excitement because he doesn't love Elaine and Elaine doesn't love him. They just co-exist in misery. And maybe at some point Elaine leaves him for someone else.3) Claire dies before the wedding, Paul goes to Brazil or whatever, for good, Andy ponders a bit but then understands that his marriage cannot be saved. They quietly divorce (quietly because both had yelled and cried and hated during the first break-up, they literally have no feelings for each other, not even hate) and Andy goes to live his life independently, knowing at last what it is that he needs. Viewers would assume that he'll be just fine and he'll find love again.I mean, right?Wrong.At this point you realize that it's a Mexican or Venezuelan soap opera, one of those 10 year long shows in which everybody sleeps with everybody, everybody's related, lost twin brother, "no, I'm not your father, he is", and writers are desperate and out of ideas, so they make up unbelievable stuff. Except it's squeezed into three hours.Because Elaine suddenly feels very sorry for Claire and even takes her into their home. So Claire lives with them, sleeps in the eldest daughter's room and has drinks with Elaine on the lawn, while they both watch Andy playing with the kids. I think that at some point they were even holding hands while watching their man roll around in the grass. Claire tries to befriend the eldest daughter, to no avail. Andy, it seems, is losing his mind over the whole situation. His reaction (and his daughter's) is the only one believable, because it's basically a circus.Then suddenly everything changes. Andy understands that he loves Elaine and they kiss and make up while Claire watches on approvingly. Furthermore, eldest daughter finally snaps and the whole family rushes to rescue (thankfully, Claire stays at home). Andy promises he'd never leave again (classic "stay together for the kids" act) and makes up with his daughter. And! When they come home, the girl makes up with Claire! They are one big happy family! Finally, Andy comes to terms with Paul and I swear for a moment it seemed like prelude to porn, with Andy leading Claire to Paul (with approving nod) so that they join hands. All this in a dimly lit pool.Really, this movie... I cringe at the very memory of it. And such a waste of cast - Julie Graham and Mark Strong, it's just sad...
Sonofamoviegeek
This has to be the dreariest weepie I've ever watched and I've seen a lot. After all, we have the Women's Television Network here in Canada.The problem is that the film lasts 180 minutes in two 90 minute segments. I despise the two-parter because the TV listings in Canadian newspapers never say that it's the first or second of two parts. Fortunately I looked it up in IMDb so I managed to tape both parts when it came on the CBC. Unfortunately, I looked it up in IMDb and saw the misleading good reviews this turkey received.The subject matter of "Walk Away and I Stumble" doesn't deserve 180 minutes of examination. The main problem, a security system repairman with too many hormones (how many oversexed men have we seen in this genre) boinking a woman who discovers she has inoperable brain cancer (how many dying women do we need to see in this genre). So, the extra space is filled in with minor problems and sins, like the neglected pubescent daughter, the "good friend" after the neglected wife's pants and the ne'er do well boyfriend unable to commit.Instead of filling in the dead air with all these side issues, the writers should have used the time to profitably explain the gaps in the main plot. I'm baffled by Elaine's change of mind about her sexual rival and her acceptance into the household. Maybe my inability to understand some of the sea changes in the characters is due to the mumbleitis that most of the main adult characters seem to be afflicted with. I don't know why I can understand the children and teens but the adults need subtitles.I am a fan of the British film industry. They seem to do so much more with fewer resources than their American resources. But when the British film industry "drops a clanger", they can be world class at serving up turkey.
Alicia123
There have been mixed reviews about Walk Away and I stumble, but I have to say that I enjoyed it.The first part was a bit fast paced, moving the story along too quickly, and there was no chemistry between Claire and Andy. But, the concluding part made up for all of that! It was a heartbreaking story and you end up having sympathy for all the characters. I had tears strolling down my face at the end. There are no bad guys in this, and thats what makes it different to other dramas... Fantastic acting all round, especially the two leading ladies; Tamzin Outhwaite and Julie Graham, when they were together. Kate Bush's song 'This Woman's Work' was a good touch too, it fit in perfectly with Claire's situation.It was a nice dedication to Tamzin's younger cousin, James Balwdin, who passed away with Cancer earlier in the year.
Chris
I'm a 6'3" 17.5 stone bloke who doesn't "do" dramas.This was one of the best dramas i have been forced to watch by my wife..(joke)..i think i see this from an angle that not a lot of people have been in as i was tempted by another women after my marriage went down hill for a while.This was a very true representation from the mans point of view as far as you can just get yourself in such a mess fighting your feelings when something like this happens.The guy was tempted by an attractive professional woman,but he was in love with his wife and seemed at the start to be very loving and touchy feel with her (grabbing bums and stuff when no one is watching)but got a feeling when he met this other woman..feelings he hadn't had for many years and acted on it.It looked at everyones perspective and i felt they did this very well.The acting was very believable and i was lost in this drama.The hard bit to swallow was when Claire(the mistress)found out she had a brain tumour and only had months to live and his wife took her in the family home to look after her and he returned to his wife?(i don't think many women would do this but some have so i hear).After the drama ended i was gazing at the TV for 2 minutes just in bits and when Kate Bush's song came on (this womens work)i kinda broke down much to the distress of my wife...i was just saying "i don't know why but that just cut through me like a knife,its just not fare".It was so good on so many levels as we were talking about it for hours afterwards and the more we talked the more questions we had which can be a bad thing but we didn't find this in this case,more could have been done but it could have spoilt it too we feel.All in all this was the best thing TV have had on in ages and it didn't include police stations ,speeding cars and not too much in the hospital.Tamzin was stunning also xxx.
