Tony Evans is deputy head of a primary school. Emma Dretzin is a musician and composer, and a single mother of two daughters. They have never met. Then, on the same morning, both are told they have Parkinson’s disease.
Onwards and Sideways, directed by John Madden from a script by Paul Mayhew-Archer, opens in more than 300 UK cinemas this Friday. It is the story of the friendship that follows, and it is far funnier than you might expect.
It takes a diagnosis nobody wants and finds room for laughter, music and a great deal of dignity.
Movie at a Glance
- UK release: In cinemas from Friday 6 November 2026 (Icon Film Distribution)
- US release: No US date confirmed
- Director: John Madden
- Writer: Paul Mayhew-Archer
- Starring: Rhys Ifans, Laura Linney, Monica Dolan, Rory Kinnear and Leah Byrne
- Certificate: 15 (UK)
- Runtime: 114 minutes
- Genre: Comedy drama
Viewer Match
- Best for: Fans of warm British comedy-dramas and grown-up stories.
- Maybe skip if: Illness stories are too close to home right now.
- Mood and pace: Gentle, funny and quietly moving.
- Cinema or streaming? Cinema is lovely for this, but it will travel well to the small screen.
- Spoiler level: Spoiler-free.
Two Strangers, One Morning
The set-up could be grim, but Madden and Mayhew-Archer approach it with lightness and wit. The film is about challenge and bravado, music and dance, and two people refusing to be defined by a condition few people understand.
It is the kind of story that recalls the best of British comedy-drama, with real feeling under the jokes.
Superb Leads
Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney are both excellent. Ifans brings his familiar mischief but also a wounded tenderness, and Linney is as precise and truthful as ever. Their scenes together are the heart of the film.
Monica Dolan and Rory Kinnear add strong support.
Playing It Safe
If there is a criticism, it is that the film rarely surprises. It is structured like a comfortable TV drama, and it goes exactly where you expect. Some will wish it took more risks with its material.
But it is sincere, intelligent and kind, and it never feels like a lecture.
Worth Your Weekend
For more British films opening this week, see this week’s Weekly Cinema Pack, and for tonight’s viewing, see What to Watch Tonight.
Spoiler-Free Verdict
Onwards and Sideways is a funny, humane and beautifully acted British drama. It plays safe, but Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney make it a genuine pleasure.
- Performances: 9/10
- Direction: 7.5/10
- Screenplay: 8/10
- Score: 7.5/10
- Cinematography: 7/10
- Entertainment Value: 8/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Star rating: 4/5
Verdict badge: Worth Seeing
One-line verdict: A warm, witty and moving drama lifted by two superb performances.
Watch the Official Trailer
Meet Tony and Emma in the official UK trailer.
Did Onwards and Sideways make you laugh and cry? Share your spoiler-free reaction.