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This is a unique documentary in the fact that it’s part of a series that has been checking in with the same 14 people since they were 7 years old. The project started with a group of British school children from all over the country and from wildly different economic backgrounds. Every 7 years we get a glimpse at what has been happening in their lives.
Now they are 49 and while not all of them have participated in every film, 12 of them catch us up on where are they now. There’s a jockey turned cabbie, single parents, a teacher, a barrister, a politician, a construction worker, a physicist – but just like in The Breakfast Club, what they do does not define who they are. They are ordinary people with
ordinary problems, but they still have fascinating stories and interesting
lives. Some we’ve worried about in the past and some still don’t have it
easy. We won’t spoil it by giving away any of their secrets.
If you’ve been watching these films all along, it’s a little like checking in on old friends at a reunion – finding out about their marriages, divorces, children, grandchildren, who’s changed the most and who’s finally happy. They also talk frankly about how they feel about being a part of this film series.
The tone of the films has changed over the years – they went through the
troubled teens, a moody phase, dealt with grief, anger, and depression.
In general, the group has never seemed more content – they have settled
comfortably into their lives and seem happy in their own skin (some for
the first time). They are also more reflective and more willing to look
back at their past.
If this is the first time you’ve seen one of these films, you may wonder
what all the fuss is about. Yes, it’s interesting to see someone’s whole
life pass by (the ultimate reality show with fast-forward), but it’s also
less intense and less dramatic, so it may not be the best time to pick
this series up from scratch. Part of the appeal is having to wait 7 years
to see what happens next. Newcomers may not be captivated by characters
who seem just like anyone else. But then again, you might be ready to jump on this very different bandwagon and wait another 7 years for the next installment.
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