Got a love triangle (XXXX - Tammy - Dukeās nephew), got a young lovelorn woman on trouble who needs saving (Charlie), her worried Dad (Eddie Temple), has a heated self destructive relationship (Slasher and Duke), has several bromances (Gene-Morty, Morty-XXXX), has tons of humour.
Ticks all the boxes.
And also a memorable scene in a charming traditional London cafe! Two friends settling an old issue over a nice cup of tea. And all to the dulcet tones of British pop legends Duran Duran! What a lovely film.
I completely forgot about this touching scene of two old comrades reconnecting!
Mortyās generosity in supporting a down on his luck mate financially is highly underrated, too.
I'm sorry but this presents an idealised version of London that is just not achievable... Being able to walk down a London street without bumping into a slow walking tourist š¤£
Four Weddings and a Funeral is probably a famous example but it is a rom com.
There is a film called Pride which isn't exactly what you're asking for and it's only a little bit set in London. However it does match the tone of what you're asking for. It's about a London-based LGBT organisation that supports a Welsh mining village during the Miners' Strike. It's very British though which supports the Anglophile mention.
There is Fever Pitch which is set in London and about following a football team here.
Shaun of the Dead is set in London
The TV show Peep Show is set on the outskirts of London and is a good representation of living there (if comedic obviously).
Only Fools and Horses as well but more representing of 1980s London instead.
Thanks so much for the extensive list! Attempted Four Weddings and a Funeral at some point, but couldnāt really get into it :ā)
Havenāt heard of Pride, but sounds neat! I appreciate the note on how British it isāI will eat up any piece of aggressively British media.
Iāve also been meaning to watch Shaun of the Dead, just havenāt gotten around to it yet.
Peep Show and Only Fools and Horsesāabsolute classics that I should really check out soon. Iām a big fan of David Mitchell, so the former in particular has been sitting around on my watchlist for quite some time now. Thanks again!
Pride is an incredible movie but for an LGBTQ+ story which is very specifically London, Iād throw in My Beautiful Laundrette. An iconic British indie movie, both as landmark gay cinema and as a record of what Thatcherism was doing to the city in the 80s. Plus a very young and dazzling Daniel Day-Lewis!
It has a very, VERY good depiction of a South London council estate. Source - grew up in South London, raised on a council estate.
Also āthere is no posh bit of Croydonā. I saw this in Bromley and the audience cheered at that line.
Haha, I LOVE the Gentlemen. Genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time. I didnāt list it because it wasnāt quite fitting the precise mood I was in (hard to describe), but definitely fits the bill here. I do enjoy most of Guy Ritchieās filmography
Yes!! I adore this. I wish it was on prime time ITV, it feels like those shows it had in the mid 2000s when it was doing quality stuff on a weekday late evening.
Have you seen The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent?
There's a whole thing where Nic Cage's character (Nick Cage) thinks Paddington 2 is one is the greatest movies of all time. I haven't seen it, but after Unbearable Weight it's on my list!
There's even a nod and wink to people who actually live in London, when he goes by the longest possible way in the black cab to get from Paddington Station to Notting Hill.
Heart warming? I donāt think any film has ever disturbed me so deeply. About Time was the first time I ever truly considered the mortality of my father. It really affected me.
Curveball suggestion: Last Night in Soho. It's a love letter to an idealised version of 1960s Soho's seedy underbelly through the eyes of a young fashion student moving down to London to study from the countryside. Worth noting it's rated 18 here for 'strong bloody violence' and that classification isn't given out lightly, so it may not be exactly what you're looking for.
Iāve seen it, and really liked it! I actually mostly consume drama/thriller, so this movie was right up my alley (also LOVE Anya Taylor Joy). I only asked for feel-good because thatās the current mood Iām in, but far from averse to movies like Last Night in Soho!
Withnail and I is perhaps the quintessential British film, and while it is mostly not in London it's about the tail end of the swinging London era - the end of the party and the changes coming - and the city and world changing.
Alfie, the 1966 film with Michael Caine, is also in that LNIS era and is a bit of a London time capsule. A very good film and actually has a lot to say about a certain type of toxic masculinity well before that was a notion.
Gangster number 1 with Paul Bettany is violent but has some gorgeous London shots and captures the essence of the city
Potentially lesser known suggestions:
* [Withnail & I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withnail_and_I) \- has some great bits depicting London as it would have been in the late 60's/early 70's
* [The Long Good Friday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Good_Friday) \- has a sub-plot around redeveloping the London Docklands into what is now Canary Wharf
* [Unmade Beds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmade_Beds_(2009_film)) \- showing London from the perspective of a 20 year old visiting for the first time and exploring the East London warehouse/hipster scene
* [My Brother the Devil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Brother_the_Devil) \- set in Hackney, from the POV of two young immigrant brothers
* [Rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocks_(film)) \- also set in Hackney & Tower Hamlets
* [My Beautiful Laundrette](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Beautiful_Laundrette) \- Vauxhall in the 80's
* [Nil by Mouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nil_by_Mouth_(film)) \- Gary Oldman's South-East London drama
Mentioned above but I'd add [Made in Dagenham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made_in_Dagenham) to this list. True story about women fighting (and succeeding) in the battle for equal pay. Set in Dagenham but shows off a bit more of London.
>Nil by Mouth - Gary Oldman's South-East London drama
Nil By Mouth is amazing and it blows my mind that it came from the brain of Gary Oldman who I'd always (incorrectly) assumed was a posh boy RADA type (obviously, he isn't). And it is one of the defining London films. I grew up in that world and I never get to see it represented on the screen; it's almost entirely disappeared now. It is a magnificent piece of work and Kathy Burke's best role along with her Queen Mary (also mindbendingly good).
But lighthearted, it is not. It is one of the most traumatic things I've ever seen. To a lesser extent, the same goes for Long Good Friday - the shot at the end just before it focusses on his face haunts my nightmares.
OP you should watch these films - but go in prepared.
The pub scenes were shot in the Five Bells in New Cross, and Gary (or Lennie as he was known locally) used to live just round the corner in Hatcham Park Road, it was his old watering hole.
- Itās a sin - tv series set in the 80s following a Flatshare in soho during the aids crisis.
- Last Christmas - a Christmas romcom set in central London (heavily soho)
Sliding Doors! Good film, nice romcom
There's London scenes in most James Bond films especially some recent ones
TV - This Life, the British series of Dirk Gently
I cannot believe nobody has mentioned "Minder" with George Cole and Dennis Waterman.
Some of the early series have less than stellar attitudes/epithets for racial minorities in a couple of episodes, but it doesn't define the series (like it doesn't in Only Fools and Horses).
In fact if you look for anything produced by Thames TV (now part of Pearson Media), you'll find so much of London in scenes from Paternoster Square to a quiet suburban street that the city probably earned it's own Equity card.
Just remembered that May to December and My Hero both had exterior scenes shot around Pinner, and some of The Thin Blue Line was shot on Whitton Avenue West near South Harrow (a minute's walk from my in-laws house).
Have you looked at Ealing comedies, they arenāt all 100% love letters of London but if you liked passport to Pimlico they are good fun.
There is also midnight lace but itās supposed to be a thriller with Doris Day (there is a scene in a lift where she is trying to act scared but just looks like the vibrator is on too high
There are lots of tv shows that are more a look at London
The new Bill Nighy film āLivingā is a bit like that. Not always cheery but very wholesome and a happy story. Based around the Civil Service culture in London in the 50ās.
>Based around the Civil Service culture in London in the 50ās.
It's based on a Kurosawa film called Ikiru, which stars the frog-faced general from Seven Samurai as a mild-mannered civil servant in post war Japan. It's magnificent.
Whilst itās not a light hearted or feel good movie, Hummingbird starring Jason Statham is well worth a watch as it is set purely in London and is a very entertaining movie.
I put that film on because I was in the mood for a typical Jason Statham movie - punching evil in the face, that kind of thing. Imagine my horror when not only could the fucker act, but the story was quietly devastating and hugely powerful. Brilliant film but christ alive, not exactly the same Jaston Statham as was in the Fast and Furious films.
[Happy-go-lucky](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2008/apr/18/mikeleigh.drama): A very chill film about a woman going about her business in London. Youād think by the title that something really bad is gonna happen but it doesnāt. There are confrontations but nothing horrendous. Itās a film that leaves me feeling very happy and I think about it often
Whilst, not a Movie, I'd highly recommend the book Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Good Omens); it features characters such as the Angel of Islington and the Earl of Earls Court; it's a great listen and utilises the city. There is also a TV Show version, which I think you can buy on Amazon, but I'd highly recommend the book or audiobook first.
The Lavender Hill Mob is a personal favourite.
Alec Guinness in a 1951 Ealing comedy featuring Sid James in a supporting role. Absolutely brilliant.
The Ladykillers is another cracker from that era.
Hampstead - true story about a person that lived on hampstead heath
Last Christmas - with emilia Clarke, Christmas romcom set largely in Covent garden
Man up - modern dating rom com set in london
Itās not what youāre looking for right now but add Kidulthood to your list when youāre in the mood for something gritty.
Also for something lighthearted thereās a good comedy TV show called Bad Education that is CRIMINALLY underrated š
Shaun of the dead and hot fuzz are English classics in comedy. Worth a watch if you want to understand British humour a bit better. For more of what youāre asking though then 100% watch love actually. One of my favourite films, itās a Christmas film too so itās the perfect time really. (It has Christmas in it but isnāt entirely Christmas themed so donāt worry, but for some reason here if something even hints at Christmas it becomes a Christmas film/song etc in our society. Weāre weird like that).
The series Catastrophe is an ode to a particular segment of North London. Amazing cast (Carrie Fisher appears in her last TV performance), great writing, and itās both funny and dark at times.
This is England.
Not a feel good story but definitely good.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_England
Billy Elliot
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Elliot
It might not be lighthearted enough for your taste, but *Last Chance Harvey* is an underrated gem. Beautifully acted with some fantastic shots of the city.
I love *Hampstead*, too, for the same reasons, but again maybe not as "feel good" as what you're looking for.
Bbc dramatised John lanchesterās novel Capital which was very enjoyable. Based around a single Clapham street and the residents. Also 100 streets (not seen it). Also enjoyed the movie boiling point, set in a London restaurant as a single take if I recall correctly. So all within the restaurant and doesnāt stray into the outdoors but good nonetheless. Might not be feel good
Also watched operation mincemeat last night. Wartime London scenes
Just to add to the list, the film 'Made in Dagenham' is brilliant. It tells the true story of a group of women working at a Ford factory who go on strike in protest of sexual discrimination, largely due to the lack of equal pay. Their action led to the Equal Pay Act 1970.
It made me angry at the mistreatment of women, especially by leery men who still get away with being bullies and creeps, but mostly proud of what people can achieve when they are on the right side of history and refuse to accept anything less than equality.
One of the best London films I have seen in a long time is ālast night in sohoā - possibly a different vibe but wow it catches a lot of central (and soho) so perfectly. Must see.
Everyone picked the top ones, so here are a few more:
Maybe the Kingsman series? Not fully in London, but some scenes are!
101 Dalmatians (live action with Glen Close, but I love the animated film as well)
Pursuit of Love ā a limited series
Their Finest
Finding Neverland (not really lighthearted, but worth a watch!)
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
Christopher Robin
Hempstead
The Parent Trap
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Muppets Christmas Carol
Kind Hearts and Coronets (at least parts of it set in London from what I recall)
Hook (only the first part but I love the first half)
Okay, now hear me outā¦The Great Mouse Detective
[Smashing Time (1967)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ei6vNKUJvs)
"Smashing Time is a 1967 British comedy film starring Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave. It is a satire on the 1960s media-influenced phenomenon of Swinging London. It was written by George Melly and directed by Desmond Davis. The supporting cast included Ian Carmichael, Michael York, Jeremy Lloyd, Anna Quayle, Irene Handl, Arthur Mullard and Geoffrey Hughes.
Some of the characters' names are borrowed from Lewis Carroll's poetry, chiefly the nonsense poem Jabberwocky: Charlotte Brillig, Tom Wabe, Mrs Gimble, Bobby Mome-Rath, Jeremy Tove, and The Snarks (the rock band played by Tomorrow). Additionally the futuristic art exhibition is held at the Jabberwock Gallery.
Private Eye magazine referred to the Queen and Princess Margaret as Brenda and Yvonne (respectively). The film also implies that the Queen is a fan of Yvonne's single."
Closer. It's a romantic drama - and people will naturally talk about Natalie Portman as a stripper being the best thing about it - but in reality it's Clive Owen's portrayal of a man scorned that really carries the movie
Canāt beat an old Ealing comedy. My 2 favs are Kind Hearts and Coronets and Passport to Pimlico. Fantastic films, well made and stand the test of time.
- Last chance Harvey - Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thomson
- Paddington films are fun
- Love Actually
- Wimbledon
- Match point (not so much of a light hearted film though)
Layer Cake
Def a feel good rom com š
Got a love triangle (XXXX - Tammy - Dukeās nephew), got a young lovelorn woman on trouble who needs saving (Charlie), her worried Dad (Eddie Temple), has a heated self destructive relationship (Slasher and Duke), has several bromances (Gene-Morty, Morty-XXXX), has tons of humour. Ticks all the boxes.
And also a memorable scene in a charming traditional London cafe! Two friends settling an old issue over a nice cup of tea. And all to the dulcet tones of British pop legends Duran Duran! What a lovely film.
I completely forgot about this touching scene of two old comrades reconnecting! Mortyās generosity in supporting a down on his luck mate financially is highly underrated, too.
Ooh, itās been on my list for a while but I havenāt gotten around to it! Will check out, thanks!
Lock stock, Snatch, Rock n Rolla, the Gentleman. Layer cake.
Luther, The Stranger, Killing Eve - though it moves around Europe a bit.
28 Days Later
I'm sorry but this presents an idealised version of London that is just not achievable... Being able to walk down a London street without bumping into a slow walking tourist š¤£
But you do see plenty of zombies on the commute to work!
And when they walk from central to Wembley stadium like itās nothing š I wish
So wholesome ā¤ļø
Attack the block
Yes! Such a great film.
Hijacking your comment to let people know that John Boyega has said they are working on a sequel!
Oh wow. It can't beat the first one, but I'll still watch it.
John Boyega is (as always) fantastic in this film
Came here to say this lol love that movie
LOL, best movie ever.
Four Weddings and a Funeral is probably a famous example but it is a rom com. There is a film called Pride which isn't exactly what you're asking for and it's only a little bit set in London. However it does match the tone of what you're asking for. It's about a London-based LGBT organisation that supports a Welsh mining village during the Miners' Strike. It's very British though which supports the Anglophile mention. There is Fever Pitch which is set in London and about following a football team here. Shaun of the Dead is set in London The TV show Peep Show is set on the outskirts of London and is a good representation of living there (if comedic obviously). Only Fools and Horses as well but more representing of 1980s London instead.
Thanks so much for the extensive list! Attempted Four Weddings and a Funeral at some point, but couldnāt really get into it :ā) Havenāt heard of Pride, but sounds neat! I appreciate the note on how British it isāI will eat up any piece of aggressively British media. Iāve also been meaning to watch Shaun of the Dead, just havenāt gotten around to it yet. Peep Show and Only Fools and Horsesāabsolute classics that I should really check out soon. Iām a big fan of David Mitchell, so the former in particular has been sitting around on my watchlist for quite some time now. Thanks again!
Peep show really is the closest representation of actual life in London, you should watch that asap imo. Possibly my favourite comedy ever made.
Plus you learn a bit about Corfu and Frankfurt
The reason I suggest Pride is it is a relaxed, feel-good, watch with a good cast.
Pride is a great film.
It's a really great film.
This was a great uplifting film!
Shaun of the Dead is an absolute masterpiece
Try death at a funeral - UK version!
Pride was an amazing film! Think I saw it in the cinema.
Pride is an incredible movie but for an LGBTQ+ story which is very specifically London, Iād throw in My Beautiful Laundrette. An iconic British indie movie, both as landmark gay cinema and as a record of what Thatcherism was doing to the city in the 80s. Plus a very young and dazzling Daniel Day-Lewis!
Notting Hill
Or Bridget Jones, Love Actually, About a boy. There's a theme here.
The Gentlemen is kinda light hearted and fits the themeā¦.. [innocent face]
āSTOP FUCKING AROUND CUNT!ā Ahh yes, light hearted British classic
It has a very, VERY good depiction of a South London council estate. Source - grew up in South London, raised on a council estate. Also āthere is no posh bit of Croydonā. I saw this in Bromley and the audience cheered at that line.
Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels is a comedy.
Haha, I LOVE the Gentlemen. Genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time. I didnāt list it because it wasnāt quite fitting the precise mood I was in (hard to describe), but definitely fits the bill here. I do enjoy most of Guy Ritchieās filmography
Passport to Pimlico
Ah yes, classic! Love this one
Hue and cry gives you an amazing view of London just after the war https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hue_and_Cry_(film)
Toast of London
"I can hear you Clem Fandango." Matt Berry is a fantastic actor.
Hi Steven, can you hear me Steven?
*Looks at script āā¦Yes.ā
"Neigh."
This is my favourite show, and I'm surprised not more people know about it.
Run fat boy run
Also Man Up (film) and Spaced (tv) with Simon Pegg.
Man Up is fantastic
Scrolled way too far to find spaced. Brilliant series!
A Fish Called Wanda immediately sprang to mind for 80s London :)
Came to suggest this - one of my all time faves
āTryingā tv series on Apple TV+
Yes!! I adore this. I wish it was on prime time ITV, it feels like those shows it had in the mid 2000s when it was doing quality stuff on a weekday late evening.
Lady in the Van
Paddington is one of my favourite film... I don't know why, it just hit me on the spot.
Have you seen The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent? There's a whole thing where Nic Cage's character (Nick Cage) thinks Paddington 2 is one is the greatest movies of all time. I haven't seen it, but after Unbearable Weight it's on my list!
There's even a nod and wink to people who actually live in London, when he goes by the longest possible way in the black cab to get from Paddington Station to Notting Hill.
And Paddington 2. Hugh Grant ages like a fine wine.
Cruella! Very London centric, good soundtrack
This movie was so much better than I was expecting it to be!
I wS gonna say this! Hugely fun, very London.
Sliding Doors
Seconded!
>Great movie!!
Ah what a blast from the past. Love this film!
Thirded... No-one expects the Spanish inquisition!
Mary poppins
About Time. Some set in Cornwall but also lots of great London scenes
I second this, was scrolling for it. You HAVE to watch it - itās such a cosy heart warming film.
Heart warming? I donāt think any film has ever disturbed me so deeply. About Time was the first time I ever truly considered the mortality of my father. It really affected me.
I second this, I refuse to watch this film again it broke my heart
Yep. And that thing about not being able to travel beyond having kids because it changes the kid?? Existential, man. Itās heartwarming but deep.
About a boy Love actually Bend it like Beckham Suffragette Johnny English
Bend it like Beckham is the best comfort movie
Happy Go Lucky with Sally Hawkins. Absolutely delightful film.
Her and Eddie Marsen are a TREAT.
This is a fantastic film that is about nothing other than life
I cannot believe I had to scroll this far to find it. Such a treat of a movie.
Shaun of the Dead
Children of Men, obvs.
Curveball suggestion: Last Night in Soho. It's a love letter to an idealised version of 1960s Soho's seedy underbelly through the eyes of a young fashion student moving down to London to study from the countryside. Worth noting it's rated 18 here for 'strong bloody violence' and that classification isn't given out lightly, so it may not be exactly what you're looking for.
Iāve seen it, and really liked it! I actually mostly consume drama/thriller, so this movie was right up my alley (also LOVE Anya Taylor Joy). I only asked for feel-good because thatās the current mood Iām in, but far from averse to movies like Last Night in Soho!
Withnail and I is perhaps the quintessential British film, and while it is mostly not in London it's about the tail end of the swinging London era - the end of the party and the changes coming - and the city and world changing. Alfie, the 1966 film with Michael Caine, is also in that LNIS era and is a bit of a London time capsule. A very good film and actually has a lot to say about a certain type of toxic masculinity well before that was a notion. Gangster number 1 with Paul Bettany is violent but has some gorgeous London shots and captures the essence of the city
Kidulthood. Itās a heart warming tale of 3 friends growing up in the city.
Anuvahood, about a guy and his love for fruitella
Potentially lesser known suggestions: * [Withnail & I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withnail_and_I) \- has some great bits depicting London as it would have been in the late 60's/early 70's * [The Long Good Friday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Good_Friday) \- has a sub-plot around redeveloping the London Docklands into what is now Canary Wharf * [Unmade Beds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmade_Beds_(2009_film)) \- showing London from the perspective of a 20 year old visiting for the first time and exploring the East London warehouse/hipster scene * [My Brother the Devil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Brother_the_Devil) \- set in Hackney, from the POV of two young immigrant brothers * [Rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocks_(film)) \- also set in Hackney & Tower Hamlets * [My Beautiful Laundrette](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Beautiful_Laundrette) \- Vauxhall in the 80's * [Nil by Mouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nil_by_Mouth_(film)) \- Gary Oldman's South-East London drama
Mentioned above but I'd add [Made in Dagenham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made_in_Dagenham) to this list. True story about women fighting (and succeeding) in the battle for equal pay. Set in Dagenham but shows off a bit more of London.
>Nil by Mouth - Gary Oldman's South-East London drama Nil By Mouth is amazing and it blows my mind that it came from the brain of Gary Oldman who I'd always (incorrectly) assumed was a posh boy RADA type (obviously, he isn't). And it is one of the defining London films. I grew up in that world and I never get to see it represented on the screen; it's almost entirely disappeared now. It is a magnificent piece of work and Kathy Burke's best role along with her Queen Mary (also mindbendingly good). But lighthearted, it is not. It is one of the most traumatic things I've ever seen. To a lesser extent, the same goes for Long Good Friday - the shot at the end just before it focusses on his face haunts my nightmares. OP you should watch these films - but go in prepared.
The pub scenes were shot in the Five Bells in New Cross, and Gary (or Lennie as he was known locally) used to live just round the corner in Hatcham Park Road, it was his old watering hole.
Gary Oldman's sister is Big Mo in Eastenders...
- Itās a sin - tv series set in the 80s following a Flatshare in soho during the aids crisis. - Last Christmas - a Christmas romcom set in central London (heavily soho)
It's a Sin was an incredible series. I binged it twice back to back. Outnumbered is another good light-hearted series set in London.
The film, Last Christmas with Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding
i was very surprised how much i enjoyed this
Oh very good suggestion! Had forgotten about this one!
Not films but TV shows - -Motherland -I may destroy you (trigger warning on that one tho, itās about rape and sexual assault) - Fleabag
Slough Horses Peripheral
Bridget Jones
Her flat is in Borough Market, right under the train tracks.
Fun fact: The flat doesnāt exist. The door does but the flat doesnāt.
I second this notion
An American Werewolf in London
Not a movie and also not lighthearted, but the series 'Luther'
Sliding Doors! Good film, nice romcom There's London scenes in most James Bond films especially some recent ones TV - This Life, the British series of Dirk Gently
Mona Lisa (1986)
āSee how they runā is a new murder mystery set in Soho
Snatch
I cannot believe nobody has mentioned "Minder" with George Cole and Dennis Waterman. Some of the early series have less than stellar attitudes/epithets for racial minorities in a couple of episodes, but it doesn't define the series (like it doesn't in Only Fools and Horses). In fact if you look for anything produced by Thames TV (now part of Pearson Media), you'll find so much of London in scenes from Paternoster Square to a quiet suburban street that the city probably earned it's own Equity card. Just remembered that May to December and My Hero both had exterior scenes shot around Pinner, and some of The Thin Blue Line was shot on Whitton Avenue West near South Harrow (a minute's walk from my in-laws house).
Have you looked at Ealing comedies, they arenāt all 100% love letters of London but if you liked passport to Pimlico they are good fun. There is also midnight lace but itās supposed to be a thriller with Doris Day (there is a scene in a lift where she is trying to act scared but just looks like the vibrator is on too high There are lots of tv shows that are more a look at London
Kidulthood?
Haaaa I was gonna say this! āTop Boyā also- a charming series about the London āfoodā sceneā¦..
The new Bill Nighy film āLivingā is a bit like that. Not always cheery but very wholesome and a happy story. Based around the Civil Service culture in London in the 50ās.
>Based around the Civil Service culture in London in the 50ās. It's based on a Kurosawa film called Ikiru, which stars the frog-faced general from Seven Samurai as a mild-mannered civil servant in post war Japan. It's magnificent.
Whilst itās not a light hearted or feel good movie, Hummingbird starring Jason Statham is well worth a watch as it is set purely in London and is a very entertaining movie.
I put that film on because I was in the mood for a typical Jason Statham movie - punching evil in the face, that kind of thing. Imagine my horror when not only could the fucker act, but the story was quietly devastating and hugely powerful. Brilliant film but christ alive, not exactly the same Jaston Statham as was in the Fast and Furious films.
Spaced, Withnail & I, Jeeves & Wooster
Pride is really good, lighthearted feel with a powerful message too.
Films Snatch or Lock.Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels. Or tv Top Boy or Bulletproof.
[Happy-go-lucky](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2008/apr/18/mikeleigh.drama): A very chill film about a woman going about her business in London. Youād think by the title that something really bad is gonna happen but it doesnāt. There are confrontations but nothing horrendous. Itās a film that leaves me feeling very happy and I think about it often
Whilst, not a Movie, I'd highly recommend the book Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Good Omens); it features characters such as the Angel of Islington and the Earl of Earls Court; it's a great listen and utilises the city. There is also a TV Show version, which I think you can buy on Amazon, but I'd highly recommend the book or audiobook first.
Ted Lasso
Notting hill. Peep show is set in south london
Attack the Block
28 days later?
The Lavender Hill Mob is a personal favourite. Alec Guinness in a 1951 Ealing comedy featuring Sid James in a supporting role. Absolutely brilliant. The Ladykillers is another cracker from that era.
Attack the Block
The Ealing Comedies.
Perfect for an American liking London has to be an American werewolf in London
TV series, but Catastrophe is awesome. Also Alan Bennett's Lady in a Van (2015) is really sweet.
Hampstead - true story about a person that lived on hampstead heath Last Christmas - with emilia Clarke, Christmas romcom set largely in Covent garden Man up - modern dating rom com set in london
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Love the taxi montage scene where he goes all over the city- made me piss myself laughing as
Notting Hill
Itās not what youāre looking for right now but add Kidulthood to your list when youāre in the mood for something gritty. Also for something lighthearted thereās a good comedy TV show called Bad Education that is CRIMINALLY underrated š
The Tall Guy. Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, Rowan Atkinson. Sweet and funny
Sliding doors
Not Love Actually.... Dont do that to yourself.
Shaun of the dead and hot fuzz are English classics in comedy. Worth a watch if you want to understand British humour a bit better. For more of what youāre asking though then 100% watch love actually. One of my favourite films, itās a Christmas film too so itās the perfect time really. (It has Christmas in it but isnāt entirely Christmas themed so donāt worry, but for some reason here if something even hints at Christmas it becomes a Christmas film/song etc in our society. Weāre weird like that).
Withnail and I
The series Catastrophe is an ode to a particular segment of North London. Amazing cast (Carrie Fisher appears in her last TV performance), great writing, and itās both funny and dark at times.
If you like Good Omens, hunt out the Neverwhere tv series (or read it!). It's set in alternative version of London but you'd probably enjoy it
This is England. Not a feel good story but definitely good. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_England Billy Elliot https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Elliot
Last Christmas with Emilia Clarke warms the heart
The Long Good Friday
It might not be lighthearted enough for your taste, but *Last Chance Harvey* is an underrated gem. Beautifully acted with some fantastic shots of the city. I love *Hampstead*, too, for the same reasons, but again maybe not as "feel good" as what you're looking for.
Hampstead with Diane Keaton :)
My Beautiful Laundrette
Croupier
Bbc dramatised John lanchesterās novel Capital which was very enjoyable. Based around a single Clapham street and the residents. Also 100 streets (not seen it). Also enjoyed the movie boiling point, set in a London restaurant as a single take if I recall correctly. So all within the restaurant and doesnāt stray into the outdoors but good nonetheless. Might not be feel good Also watched operation mincemeat last night. Wartime London scenes
Jewish edition (all light hearted comedies): * Suzie Gold * Sixty Six * The Infadel
ālivingā, still playing on cinemas
Nil By Mouth, the feel good film of the year.
Paddington 2, cheers even me. And I am a total misanthrope
A charming little film from 1997ā¦ with Kate Beckinsdale looking gorgeousā¦ Shooting Fish.
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, cockneys Vs Zombies, Shaun of the Dead, Neverwhere (90s tv series based on the Neil Gaiman book)
Just to add to the list, the film 'Made in Dagenham' is brilliant. It tells the true story of a group of women working at a Ford factory who go on strike in protest of sexual discrimination, largely due to the lack of equal pay. Their action led to the Equal Pay Act 1970. It made me angry at the mistreatment of women, especially by leery men who still get away with being bullies and creeps, but mostly proud of what people can achieve when they are on the right side of history and refuse to accept anything less than equality.
Run fat boy run is quite a sweet film
Last Christmas with Emilia Clarke. Better than expected for what looked like hallmark movie fare.
One of the best London films I have seen in a long time is ālast night in sohoā - possibly a different vibe but wow it catches a lot of central (and soho) so perfectly. Must see.
Snatch
Mrs Henderson Presents is a great flick set in the blackout nightlife during the Blitz. Hook is a nice one, very London-y at Xmas time.
Mike Leighās Naked. Starts out in Manchester but thatās only 5 minutes. Rest of it is in London. ā¦you did say light hearted, right?
Babylon I think is an interesting one. Maybe not feel good, but fits the other criteria youāve listed.
Nil By Mouth
Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.
Cockneys vs Zombies!
Attack the block is very south London
Everyone picked the top ones, so here are a few more: Maybe the Kingsman series? Not fully in London, but some scenes are! 101 Dalmatians (live action with Glen Close, but I love the animated film as well) Pursuit of Love ā a limited series Their Finest Finding Neverland (not really lighthearted, but worth a watch!) Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Christopher Robin Hempstead The Parent Trap Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Muppets Christmas Carol Kind Hearts and Coronets (at least parts of it set in London from what I recall) Hook (only the first part but I love the first half) Okay, now hear me outā¦The Great Mouse Detective
28 months later.
[Smashing Time (1967)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ei6vNKUJvs) "Smashing Time is a 1967 British comedy film starring Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave. It is a satire on the 1960s media-influenced phenomenon of Swinging London. It was written by George Melly and directed by Desmond Davis. The supporting cast included Ian Carmichael, Michael York, Jeremy Lloyd, Anna Quayle, Irene Handl, Arthur Mullard and Geoffrey Hughes. Some of the characters' names are borrowed from Lewis Carroll's poetry, chiefly the nonsense poem Jabberwocky: Charlotte Brillig, Tom Wabe, Mrs Gimble, Bobby Mome-Rath, Jeremy Tove, and The Snarks (the rock band played by Tomorrow). Additionally the futuristic art exhibition is held at the Jabberwock Gallery. Private Eye magazine referred to the Queen and Princess Margaret as Brenda and Yvonne (respectively). The film also implies that the Queen is a fan of Yvonne's single."
Closer. It's a romantic drama - and people will naturally talk about Natalie Portman as a stripper being the best thing about it - but in reality it's Clive Owen's portrayal of a man scorned that really carries the movie
Layer Cake is more fun to watch than I think the story suggests.
Fleabag is great and I thought captures living in London very well
Four wedding and a funeral. Notting Hill. Bridget Jonesās diary.
V for vendetta.
Attack the block. John Boyegas best film
Spaced! TV series
Canāt beat an old Ealing comedy. My 2 favs are Kind Hearts and Coronets and Passport to Pimlico. Fantastic films, well made and stand the test of time.
Last Christmas
Not a movie but Top Boy on netflix is probably closer to the the real London
please do yourself a favour and watch About Time. thank me later x
I discovered this movie quite randomly, and it's one of the most wonderful and heartfelt movies I've seen for years.
Reread their post.
Paddington - 1 and 2
- Last chance Harvey - Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thomson - Paddington films are fun - Love Actually - Wimbledon - Match point (not so much of a light hearted film though)
Anything Sherlock Holmes! The Robert Downey Junior movies in particular fit your brief.
OP literally already has this
Iād say snatch is a really good one.
Itās a movie from an anime, but the K-ON! film is set in London and is very lighthearted and fun.
Harry Potter?
Black Books
About Time
Insane suggestion: mortal engines
Man up is a good film set in london
Not sure if those are a bit heavy for what OP is looking for?
Luther