Acclaimed British graphic novelist Raymond Briggs wrote this fond character study about his parents; how they survived the Blitz and a variety of social upheavals while raising him in their modest suburban London home. And now it’s been made into an animation. To use a word writers are warned against, this is a “nice” movie. The animation is pleasantly old-fashioned, the voice talent (Jim Broadbent and Brenda Blethyn) is top-notch, and it’s been politely praised by critics. But while I understand what the filmmakers are trying to do, I found it somewhat pedestrian, superficial and a bit of a slog.  

Sept 29 (94 min)