If there’s one constant in the universe, it’s that everybody grows old and everyone dies. Although age as a number measuring the passage of time is unarguably universal, the perception of one’s age is relative to the individual. Nowadays, 30 is the new 20 and 40 is the new 30. A social shift has occurred and many of the common steps towards adulthood, such as marriage and children, have taken a backseat to a more modern way of thinking. Personal growth and the slow development of one’s own well being has resulted in people marrying and having kids in their later years. Michael Apted’s Up Series gives us a comprehensive look at the lives of 14 kids growing up in an age when 21 was still 21 and 28 was still 28.

Lauded by some as one of the most important achievements in documentary filmmaking, (most notably Roger Ebert’s inclusion of the series in his list of top ten films of all time: “an inspired, almost noble use, of the film medium.”) The Up Series follows 14 kids from different parts of England, hand picked by series creators Michael Apted and Gordon McDougall. The goal was to represent diversity, interviewing kids from varying levels of social class. It was after the first installment, 7 Up, that it was decided that Michael Apted would then revisit the participants every seven years as a sort of social experiment. The series tag line, taken from the Jesuit maxem “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man” suggests that by the age of seven, the seeds have been planted and a personality has already began to take shape. In this case, we have the opportunity to compare the 42 year old to the 7 year old with interesting results.

The first installment of the series introduces the participants: John, Charles and Andrew, three wealthy prep-school students from Kensington; Suzy, filmed at a boarding school and also coming from a wealthy background; Bruce, also filmed at a boarding school; Peter and Neil come from a middle class school in Liverpool; Jackie, Lynn and Sue are three good friends from a working class primary school in London; Tony from a primary school east of London; Nick attended a boarding school in the small farming village of Yorkshire; and finally Paul and Symon, both coming from a charity-based boarding school. After reading that list, the first thing that concerned me was the ease at which I’d be able to keep track of each individual story. Luckily, throughout the series we’re given reminders of past interviews and ambitions expressed by each child. Although I must admit, by the time I hit 42 Up I was a little tired of sitting through the same interview clips from the past films. Although in the end, I think it’s necessary for keeping the stories straight and informing those who may be joining the series mid-way through.

It’s a bit overwhelming to give an in depth review of such an epic film series, so I’m going to focus on a few of my favourite characters. Nick was probably one of the only kids I wasn’t annoyed with right off the bat. He was charming, funny and bashful. In 14 Up, he spent his entire interview with his head buried in his knees, shyly avoiding questions about girls. As the films progress, he grows into a very likeable and extremely intelligent man, graduating from University and eventually becoming a Nuclear Physicist. In 42 Up he’s on his way to becoming a Professor at the University of Wisconsin and has a kid of his own. Interestingly, his wife refused to take part in the series after being criticized for her appearance in 28 Up. I’m not entirely sure what the criticism was based on, but it goes to show that these films do have a public affect on the lives of those who take part in them. Tony started off as both aggressive and hyperactive. After meeting with some of the upper class children in the first film, he says ‘They’re nuts!’. Even at 7 Tony expresses his interest in becoming a jockey. By 14, he’s working at a stable taking care of horses, and it’s apparent that his short stature will work in his favour. Eventually he had the opportunity to race, but after a series of losses, he settles for his second career choice, a taxi cab driver. There’s something I really liked about Tony. He is very honest about his feelings towards his wife (especially after being unfaithful), and he is eternally optimistic about the future.

Bruce’s interview in 14 Up stood out for me. He talks of his disappointment in his countries support of racial diversity and throws around the idea of becoming a missionary. In 21 Up, he speaks of girls and his thoughts on casual relationships. Although Bruce doesn’t end up becoming a missionary, he does pursue mathematics and ends up teaching at a public school. By the end of 42 Up, Bruce has found a new friend in one of the films other subjects, Neil. Often considered the most interesting of the bunch, Neil started off as a funny little kid, reminding me of a seven year old Paul McCartney. He seemed fairly normal and hopeful of the future. By 14 you could sort of see a newfound cynicism and social awkwardness coming through in his interview. It was in 21 Up that we learn that Neil had essentially become homeless. After contacting a squatting agency, he had found temporary shelter, and it wouldn’t get any better by 28 Up. He had become a sort of drifter, surviving off of government support. When speaking of kids, he says he didn’t want any based on the fact that they may inherit his unhappy outlook on life. It was in 42 Up in which things seemed to brighten up for Neil. He was involved in politics as an elected council member for the Liberal Democrats in Hackney, England. It was after a celebratory dinner in honour of the release of 35 Up that Bruce, in one of the most touching moments of the film, had offered Neil a place to stay while getting back on his feet.

It’d be tough to rate these films separately (I will be reviewing 49 Up on its own). I’d say the early years are the most interesting, watching the kids develop into adults and seeing how they change both mentally and physically. By 35, the majority of the subjects seem to have naturally fallen into their places in society. This is why a single film about a group of average 42 year olds wouldn’t be interesting. But when you’re with them from the beginning, you hope that they succeed. You watch as they either strive for their goals or become complacent. When one of them falls, you get to see them pick themselves back up and carry on with their lives. And of course, it’s obviously a self-reflective experience. You think about what goals you’ve achieved and how different you were when you were seven. Have you done anything in the past seven years that has changed your life? Probably not. Lucky for us, we don’t have Michael Apted and his film crew showing up on our doorstep for updates.