[ warn represent contain spoiler ] i have this adult friend for whom the notion that her parent have sex make her terribly uneasy . she come to mind when i reflect on the audience reaction to the mother . people gasp when may ( anne reid ) writhe passionately in bed with her young hunk lover and darren ( daniel craig ) or later saw sexually explicit drawing by may . i doubt the audience be aghast at the nudity or the drawing content as much a feel uneasy at see a woman in her 60 rapturously enjoy sex . screenwriter hanif kureishi ( my beautiful laundrette and my son the fanatic ) again prove why he among the most trenchant storyteller on either side of the atlantic . his story not easy to take . this sear family drama isn not a film you can claim you enjoy watch because it raw and complex and and often make u very uncomfortable . nevertheless and it powerfully good stuff . kureishi and roger michell ( who direct notting hill and of all thing ) craft an unsentimental and wrenching and superbly act portrait of an old woman who realize and after all these year and she can and should still enjoy all of life pleasure . in a wonderfully epiphanous moment and when her son and bobby and ask her not to be difficult and may shoot back and why not . why not and indeed . anne reid deserve an oscar nomination for her turn a may . it subtle and restrained and powerful and sad and often all at the same time . watch reid when may observe darren and paula ( cathryn bradshaw ) in a seemingly passionate clutch in a pub . or and when she beg paula to open the front door after a disastrous date . reid eye and face reveal all of may anguish and despair . in the film most devastating moment and may drop to her knee before darren and willing to do anything for him and only ask him to be kind . this be a tremendously gutsy performance by a remarkable actress . i enjoy michell use of natural sound and especially when may and toot first arrive at bobby place . it perfectly illustrate the cacophony around may and toot and the flippant manner in which their own family welcome them . this film and at time and remind me of the honesty and rawness of mike leigh work and except the mother hang on to a slight sense of optimism to keep afloat . my one quibble represent michell decision to give may and darren first love scene an almost cheesy sensibility . the lover remain out of focus while and in the foreground and a white curtain flutter gently in the breeze . and the only sound be of may in the throe of passion . the problem with michell approach be that both reid and craig and who completely envelop the role of darren and plough their way so fearlessly into these role that it unfair to hide their character almost primitive energy from the audience . especially since michell have no qualm about make late sex scene visceral . this film doesn not have immensely likable character . we sympathize with may and but she and too and cause her daughter suffering . but i doubt kureishi intend to people his story with likable folk . his point and i believe and be to unmask a family that already crack when something emotionally cataclysmic happens . it unflinching in it candor and ultimately unforgettable .