All Good Things

A marriage and a home can be brought to perfection with the birth of a new child, yet Shirley Frame, portrayed by Brenda Blethyn, feels an overwhelming compulsion to share her bounty by venturing into the world and aiding others, an action that drives her husband, Phil (Warren Clarke), to distraction.

At the age of 39, Shirley delivers her third child, her heart brimming with joy. Eager to spread her happiness to the world, she embarks on a mission to improve the lives of as many individuals as she can. However, her husband Phil and their two teenagers are not easily swayed.

She swiftly discovers that being a Good Samaritan is no easy feat, particularly in a society rife with towering apartment blocks, drug abuse, and homelessness, even when her own life appears idyllic. Shirley identifies a series of potential charitable causes, leaving Phil to cradle their baby as she attempts and fails to mend the lives of others.

From persuading a potential suicide from the brink of death to providing reading lessons to an illiterate young mother suffering from an abusive partner, and even attempting marriage counseling, Shirley always manages to step into precarious situations. In each endeavor, she inadvertently brings the struggles of others too close to home, where the comfort of familiarity becomes a source of distress.