This is an introspective and poignant rendering of an old gentleman's life as he looks back on his former relationships, triggered by the unusual mention of a diary left to him in a will by the mother of a former girlfriend during his college days. Quite intentionally, the old flame (Charlotte Rampling) destroys the diary much to Tony Webster's (Jim Broadbent) grim consternation. But as the story unfolds through numerous flashbacks, we learn that Tony has massaged his memories to a place of comfort for himself, only to discover by his own introspection that things were not always as he believed as a young man in love. Maintaining a cordial if somewhat formal relationship with his ex-wife (Harriet Walter),Tony comes to understand himself a little better, even if after so many years he's powerless to undo some of the things that brought misery and grief to others. A stunning revelation in the latter half of the movie creates an emotional jolt for the viewer as well as Tony, though upon reflection, one can, via the series of flashbacks, be able to piece together the story of Veronica Ford (Rampling) and her brother. It's a well written tale of how one man recaptures the missing pieces of his own life, perhaps not with approval so much as regret over slights and grievances that have brought him to his present station in life. At the very least, the picture may have you looking back on your own life in a way that replaces nostalgia with a bit of stern reality.

I personally just wanted to get a sense of when this was ending.

Overhyped drivel with a cast who have done this sort of thing far better elsewhere.

Told via twin timelines in the life of "Tony Webster"; this is quite a gentle introspective on the way we live our lives and of the relatively significant impact of some equally insignificant decisions we make as we go along. Billy Howle is the younger version who has a fling with "Veronica'. Fast forward forty-odd years and we find Jim Broadbent in the role - the owner of a small camera shop - who is left a diary in the will of the girl's mother. The ensuing story unravels what happened to their relationship back then, and we see something of how it may develop in the present (with Charlotte Rampling); and of how "Tony" has evolved via his failed marriage to Dame Harriet Walter and his relationship with his expectant daughter Michelle Dockery. There are a few good scenes with Matthew Goode as the teacher and Joe Alwyn also stands out as 'Adrian Finn". The adaptation of Julian Barnes' novel is, however, a wee bit stodgy - and the film relies very heavily on the charisma of Rampling, Broadbent and a good effort from Howle to make much impact. It is intelligently done, but told from a very one-sided perspective.