Comedy drama written and directed by mike leigh hortense cumberbatch marianne jean baptiste is a young black londoner who after the death of her adoptive parents is surprised to discover that her birth mother is in fact white single mum cynthia brenda blethyn after an uncomfortable first meeting cynthia strikes up a rapport with hortense and invites her to the 21st birthday party of her youngest daughter roxanne claire rushbrook where she meets cynthias brother maurice timothy spa