Writers and actors have hit the nail on the head, the UK had many issues and they have raised them well in this film. It's not a blockbuster film and I believe it was never meant to be one. It's worth a watch.

This is a sweet film. Lots of snarky family telling older people what to do and how to do it. The dogs made the film!! Of course. Don't they always? Good scenery!

The concept of counting walks with the dogs to meander along with this couple was a sweet way to segue from one day to another.

Crippled as I am by indecision when it comes to choosing entertainment, I again allowed Sky Movies to select my night by watching the first film alphabetically that I hadn't already seen. With an air of resignation I saw that it was "23 Walks" a romantic dramedy about two people at the tail end of middle age, who enter a relationship having met walking their dogs. I appreciate that there's an audience for this, who would balk at a science fiction extravaganza the way I recoil here, but I can't say that I enjoyed the film.

Widower Dave (Dave Johns) and Divorcee Fern (Alison Steadman) meet walking their dogs in the parks of London. Though initially at odds, they become friends, meeting each other's families and on the way to a relationship. Dave is struggling financially to hold on to his council house but is desperate to remain nearby as he has a secret he is keeping from Fern. His wife, Marcy (Marsha Millar) has not passed, but is in assisted living facility as she has early on set dementia and does not remember her husband.

It might be tempting in light of this storyline to say that the film is an 'issues' film, but I feel like it's not emotionally deep enough for this to really be the case. It has nods towards the idea of what life is like for a spouse whose partner has, for all intents and purposes, gone - even if they remain alive. There's only really one scene which addresses the impact of this on Dave's family, with his daughter scolding him about the new relationship - even though, at that stage, it is little more than company. Similarly, the housing issue is glossed over, perhaps as there's really little he can do against a reasonable council request. The bottom line is, in those regards, the film is too sweet for its own good.

The conceit of the relationship being across 23 dog walks is largely forgotten after the first few scenes, so much so I wonder why it was the title, or that the opening few walks are counted by an onscreen notation. Personally, I didn't think the performances were very good either, even from Alison Steadman, who I think is brilliant in most things she's in.

It's not for me, clearly, and I can see from the other reviews that some people got more out of it, but that doesn't mean that I can earnest recommend a movie that I found so bland.