Side by Side
Country: United Kingdom
Language: In English
Live Action | 2013 | 105 min
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Recommended for ages 10+ (Parental Guidance: Cursing, images of family tragedy recalled, senior dementia)
Fearing the possibility of being split up because of their grandmother’s illness, a young brother and sister embark on an unforgettable journey through breathtaking landscapes of rural Scotland. SIDE BY SIDE is a rare and genuinely heartfelt story about two very different siblings growing closer because they must depend on one another during an unsettling time.
Lauren and her younger brother, Harvey, live with their elderly grandmother who needs constant care. When the old woman is sent to a nursing home, Lauren accepts a scholarship to a prestigious sports academy believing that she and Harvey will stay together and live with Janice, Lauren’s calculating and deceitful sports agent. It soon becomes clear, however, that Janice’s real intention is to split the pair up to better exploit Lauren’s athletic talent. When Harvey runs away to fulfill the promise he made to Grandma to find their long-lost grandfather, Lauren follows after him. En route, brother and sister discover that, despite all their differences, when they are side by side they are strong enough to deal with anything, even their biggest fears. As we follow their journey across the beautiful British countryside, we slowly come to realize that it is the journey, not the destination that really matters.
Part road movie, part Bildungsroman, part family drama and part children’s escapade, Arthur Landon’s endearing feature-film debut explores the solid bond between a sister and brother, and celebrates the importance of coming together.