Oranges and Sunshine

Play trailer

Oranges and Sunshine

R

2011

1h 45m

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

72 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Until the early 1970s, thousands of British children -- many orphans, others taken by social workers from broken homes -- were packed onto ships bound for Australia. Promised oranges and sunshine, many instead endured abuse in workhouses as virtual slaves. In 1987, Nottingham, England, social worker Margaret Humphreys (Emily Watson) learns the horrific extent of this program as she attempts to help two of its survivors, the timid Jack (Hugo Weaving) and the violent Len (David Wenham).

Critics Consensus

Grounded in a heartwrenching fact-based story, steered by Loach's sensitive direction, and led by a powerful performance from Watson, Oranges and Sunshine sidesteps its pacing problems and occasionally clichéd screenplay.

Read Critics Reviews

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Aug 30, 2018

It takes one of the most obscene scandals in 20th-century British politics and all but kills it off with its self-righteous stance, plodding script, mournful violins and clunky construction.

Go to Full Review

Mark Feeney

Boston Globe

Nov 3, 2011

1.5/4

The sincerity of feeling is unmistakable. So's the flat-footedness of the writing.

Go to Full Review

Leba Hertz

San Francisco Chronicle

Oct 27, 2011

3/4

Emily Watson, who always brings a special grace to the screen, gives a multilayered performance to the role of Margaret Humphreys, who not only puts her own family dynamic at risk but finds herself physically threatened.

Go to Full Review

Frank J. Avella

Edge Media Network

Apr 21, 2022

A-

The film is heartbreaking, enraging, and ultimately uplifting, thanks to Loach's economic direction and Rita Munro's focused screenplay. The magnitude of the insanity is sometimes hard to grasp.

Go to Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Apr 16, 2022

Oranges & Sunshine is a well-made film, but its importance surpasses its ability to entertain.

Go to Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

Jun 3, 2020

3.5/5

A work of controlled, retrospective outrage, telling the bizarre true story of how tens of thousands of young British lives were irrevocably ruined.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Lee L

@RT09686433 Jan 28, 2025

Such a sad, touching movie. Just proves one person can make a change. My heart goes out to all the families left heartbroken by yet another situation that has been buried.

See more

Raven M

@RT63549111 Aug 26, 2023

This movie is heartbreaking for several reasons. On the same level as "The Sound of Freedom", the British government saw these children as a deficit. Born to either unwed mothers or very poor women, their solution was to quietly send these children to Australia by lying to them. Most were taken into to state care via social service due to unfit homes. The mothers were lied to and told their children had been adopted into loving homes with better living conditions while the children were told their mothers had died. Many went into orphanages and doled out to less-than-ideal living situations where they were used as slave labor, or abused physically, mentally, emotionally and sometimes sexually by the people who were supposed to be caring for them. One day, it comes to the attention of a social worker who is determined to uncover the truth and possibly re-unite adult children who just want to know who they are. The scandal exposed by her search for the truth causes both governments to take responsibility for this violation of human rights and further shines a light on how far back and how deeply human trafficing goes.

See more

Daniel

@Daniel545 Oct 28, 2022

Decent kDrama, but does paint Korean's as pretty bad people. So many annoying characters, really frustrating actors, but the wife enjoys it!

See more

Aug 4, 2018

Important story tied to a fairly engrossing screenplay.

See more

Aug 2, 2018

História bem triste sobre crianças enviadas para outro país contra sua vontade e como uma mulher ajudou-as a reencontrar suas origens. O filme tem alguns momentos bem clichês e outros um tanto inesperados que causaram uma certa surpresa positiva.

See more

Feb 19, 2017

When humans don't act human.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Jim Loach

Director

Emily Watson

Margaret Humphreys

David Wenham

Len

Hugo Weaving

Jack

Richard Dillane

Merv

Lorraine Ashbourne

Nicky

The Children of Huang Shi

29%

66%

The Children of Huang Shi

Watchlist

An American Affair

17%

41%

An American Affair

Watchlist

Good

34%

32%

Good

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Until the early 1970s, thousands of British children -- many orphans, others taken by social workers from broken homes -- were packed onto ships bound for Australia. Promised oranges and sunshine, many instead endured abuse in workhouses as virtual slaves. In 1987, Nottingham, England, social worker Margaret Humphreys (Emily Watson) learns the horrific extent of this program as she attempts to help two of its survivors, the timid Jack (Hugo Weaving) and the violent Len (David Wenham).

Director: Jim Loach
Producer: Camilla Bray, Iain Canning
Screenwriter: Rona Munro
Distributor: Screen Media Films
Production Co: Screen Australia
Rating: R (Some Strong Language)
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings