7 Miles Out Film Review: Love, Loss & Music

Based on the semi-autobiographical book of the same name, 7 Miles Out is a moving and funny coming of age story about grief, love, and friendship.

7 Miles Out is both funny and moving; it will make audiences laugh out loud multiple times and tear up towards the end. The film is strongest in its first half, especially when the narrative focuses on Ann as a child. The family dynamic works really well as the parents and children feel like a real family on screen, with a brilliant Aidan Gillen who makes a strong impression despite his short screen time. The chemistry is also very strong between Ann and her friends, who act really well opposite each other.

The film masterfully portrays grief as something that will always be part of Ann and of the Westbourne family, no matter how much time might have passed since they lost Ronald. Director Carol Morley does a really good job at showing how the grief that Ann experiences is always going to be a part of her life, but that it also does not define her as a person. The movie effectively takes us back to 1970s Manchester, or rather Stockport, thanks to its costume design, use of music, and overall set designs and props.

The constant time jumps make for a very disjointed narrative and I wish the film had focused on a more specific time period rather than creating an episodic series of events that feel somewhat unconnected – specifically by centering on Ann as a young girl and a teenager, rather than following the plot all the way into adulthood. The second half of the film is weaker, with a stronger focus on a grown-up Ann that reveals very little about who she is as an adult. The element of friendship is entirely gone, which is a real shame because Leila Entwistle and Eve Baddeley are both incredible but feel very underused. 

While the music is meant to be a key element of this story, this also fades away. In the first half of 7 Miles Out, the 1970s soundtrack is an integral part of the plot, but as Ann grows up, this gets lost. She is meant to be in a band, but we rarely hear the songs she has been working on. When we do, it’s only for a short time, and we never actually see her working on anything music-related. It is only at the very end that we finally hear Ann sing, which makes for one of the most powerful moments of the entire film, but it takes far too long to get there.

Overall, 7 Miles Out is a coming of age story that could have been more powerful if it had kept a tighter focus on a few of its key themes.

7 Miles Out was screened at the BFI London Film Festival on October 17-18, 2026. The film will be released in cinemas in the U.K. on September 17, 2027.