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1. The Jesuits say, "Give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man." Do you agree with this statement? Do the ongoing experiences of the people profiled in this film series bear out this sort of determinism, or contradict it
2. One of the subjects seems to express some regret or embarrassment at ending up in a relatively comfortable position in his mid-life, having worked in more sacrificial and "socially conscious" projects in earlier years. How does this compare to decisions you have made in your own life? What do you think is God's perspective on this
3. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the mysterious "thorn in his flesh," an unspecified weakness or ailment which both humbled him and became an occasion for God to demonstrate his love and power, even in Paul's weakness. At least one person in this film seems to provide a striking example of this. How do you see the role of suffering and other difficulties in your own life, or the lives of friends?

The film contains no offensive material, apart from some quite mild language. Children would be unlikely to find the film of any interest, but it is worth noting that young viewers might be troubled by a number of marriages which run into difficulty, some ending in separation or divorce: there is passing reference to an extramarital affair.

Photos © Copyright Granada International

© Ron Reed 2006, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

If you haven't yet discovered Michael Apted's "Up" series, you've missed out on one of the most extraordinary moviegoing experiences we've ever been offered.

In 1964, Apted began his series of landmark documentaries by interviewing a group of several seven-year-olds from different areas in London, and promising us that this glimpse would give us strong indications of what these individuals would become later in life. In a sense, he set out to envision the future of Britain.

And so, he began making follow-up films every seven years, checking in on what was happening in each individual's life. What began as a project for television moved to the big screen. Now, all of them are now available on DVD in a convenient boxed set: 7 Up, Seven Plus Seven, 21 Up, 28 Up, 35 Up, and 42 Up.

Thus, for those who have followed this "reality big-screen" drama, which has been full of delightful surprises and devastating turns, the arrival of 49 Up is a reason to rejoice.

Almost unanimous in their rapturous praise, mainstream critics are celebrating this as another brilliant chapter in a monumental achievement.

J. Robert Parks (Framing Device) says, "The amazing thing about 49 Up is that you don't need to have seen the other parts to understand these people. [Director Michael] Apted and his able editor Kim Horton weave the new footage seamlessly with clips from earlier films, highlighting how people have grown older and how their earlier choices have laid the groundwork for who they are now. … Its 135 minutes fly by … and you're left wishing you could stay even longer with these fascinating, vulnerable folk."

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