The year in which the series of remarkable films that have been appearing at seven-year intervals began, 1964, is relevant to what this cinematic project portrays. When the initial installment, 7 Up, made its debut as a British television documentary, it was intended as the first of a number of movies examining the lives of a group of children from very different backgrounds, most in and around London.

Settling in to watch Man of the Year, which from its advertising appears to be a comedy starring Robin Williams as a Jon Stewart-ish talk show host who runs for president, my first clue that things were not going to be as I assumed came in the opening credit for Dick Pope as director of cinematography.