28 It Up

Seven years more, and The Up Series continues to pick up momentum. In 1985, the children of the original documentary had reached age 28, and it was time to check in on them once more. The result was the most interesting film yet.

For the first time, some of the people declined to participate in the documentary. Specifically, it was two of the three upper class, Oxford-bound boys. John, the one who had in 21 Up dismissed the project as unfair in its lack of recognition for his own hard work in achieving his goals told the documentary maker, Michael Apted, basically: "I said all I have to say last time." But the film informs us that he's continuing to advance in the career path he was always "destined" for.

Charles, the one who'd not managed to get into Oxford, also declined to participate. The film tells us that he's now working for the BBC and is making documentary films of his own. Perhaps he no longer wants to assist "the competition?"

That leaves Andrew alone from that group of three to carry the torch for the upper crust group. He does so, but in a rather simple way. He has indeed become a soliticitor, and his life seems to be exactly what was forecast.

As for the others involved, the "experiment" has advanced to another level. Nearly all of them have married, and several have at least one child of their own. In short, the Up concept is now on its way to beginning anew. None of these second-generation subjects have yet reached the "magic age" of seven, but all the first-generation subjects have a lot to say about how they intend to parent and what they want for their children. I found myself already anticipating the next installment of the documentary, to see just where these kids will be, and see if their lives will have any degree of predestination to them.

Just as fascinating as hearing from the original people themselves is hearing the interviews with their spouses. Some are interviewed separately, some together with their husband or wife, but in every case it's interesting to see what they see in the people that we've "known" now for 21 years.

Suzy, the chain-smoking product of divorced parents who was so down on marriage seven years prior? She's married herself now, and very happily from the look of it. So is Tony, the would-be jockey turned cabbie, who seemed seven years prior to want to be a free-spirited ladies man for the rest of his life.

The three other girls, all interviewed as a group in the prior films, are more or less the same after seven years. Jackie and Lynn were married at the time of 21 Up; they still are, and Sue has joined them. Lynn still has a librarian job she had in the previous film; the other seem to be bouncing around.

Symon, the only non-white participant in the films, is indeed working in manual labor as the films had always forecast. At age 28, he's married and already has five children.

Nick, the farmboy who dared to dream of being a physicist, has relocated to a university in the United States to do exactly that. He married another British ex-patriot, and the two give a fascinating interview together. They seem like two very similar souls, both deeply thoughtful, scientific types. And they both seem incredibly practical and at odd moments even dispassionate about their relationship. The film seems to be forecasting that these two may be too career-minded to stay settled down together.

Peter, who until this point has been among the less interesting subjects, has become a school teacher, and virtually uses his interviews in the documentary as a political soapbox. He spends most of the time railing (though in a mostly civil, "British" way) against the government of the time. (That would be Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.) It's not quite clear where this agenda came from, but it does seem as though the man is a good enough teacher.

The group produced another teacher in Bruce, the man who was rigorously studying mathematics in 21 Up. As a child, he'd spoke a little of maybe becoming a missionary to "uncivilized countries." He'd said the idea seemed appealing to him, and yet that simultaneously, he felt he wouldn't be good at it. Well, he hasn't gone to a foreign country, but he has taken up teaching in a clearly more impoverished part of England, and seems to really enjoy the work. Moreover, he really seems to be making an impact on his young students.

Neil, the spirited young boy who had somehow reached the brink of contemplating suicide by age 21? I was a bit surprised to see him still alive at age 28, frankly. Particularly because little seems to have changed for him in seven years. He'd moved to Scotland, changing scenery, but has remained unemployed and unhappy. You want to reach through the screen -- and through time -- and do something to push his life back on track.

With each documentary, the Up Series gets more polished and more thought-provoking. I'd been watching it in the hopes of it reaching something profound, and with each new movie, it does indeed take one step closer to getting there. I know I'm in for the duration now.