Truly Dreadful Film

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Made in 1999 by the talented Shane Meadows, A ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS is a comedy drama about a pair of middle school best friends and a stranger that rumbles his way into their lives.While fending off a couple, older soccer bullies, Romeo and Gavin are assisted by a stranger named Morell, a lanky twenty-something who though initially seems nice enough, has some serious deep seated issues. Anyhow, the three instantly befriend, and before anyone knows it, Morell is one of the boys. Hanging out, laughing it up, driving around; things seem reasonable enough. It isn't until Morell asks to meet Romeo's sister do things suddenly change for the worse, and a simple prank by Gavin has the sensitive Morell pushing the friends apart.Through intimidation does Morell succeed, and as you continue to watch his character, it's quite obvious that despite his age, Morell emulates his younger friends, only worse; bullying the boys, and inevitably, everyone in his path too cowardly to stand up for themselves.The film is a great character study of friends growing apart, family change, adult responsibilities in a child's world, and where your allegiances will always lie.Paddy Considine is a tour de force as Morell. Every single scene he is in is memorable, maintaining an awkward and darkly humorous atmosphere from start to finish. The whole of the cast is actually great, very authentic, which only adds to the film's earnest and frightening nature.Great film from across the pond. Paddy Considine should have been nominated for an Oscar for this one.

"A Room for Romeo Brass" starts with a funny sequence as we watch Romeo and his friend Gavin walking through town and as they arrive at the fish and chips shop, Romeo asks for a large family order, which he proceeds to devour by himself, as he has no intention of sharing his meal with his friend Gavin. When he arrives home he hands his mother and sister two small packets of whatever he hasn't eaten.Shane Meadows, the director, and co-writer of this surprising small film knows a thing, or two, about young boys and the way they act toward one another. As it turns out, both Romeo and Gavin are neighbors and they are supposed to be best friends.When Gavin, who seems to be handicapped, and walks with a limp, is attacked by the soccer bullies, Romeo comes to his aid, but he is overpowered. Out of nowhere comes Morrell, who defends the boys and send the tormentors packing. This savior is a man who is much older and doesn't fit in the picture. A bit later on in the movie, we know why he wanted to get closer to Romeo, especially, he craves for the beautiful Ladine, his sister. In pursuing the girl, Morrell is instrumental in separating the two friends.The main reason for watching this film is Paddy Considine's work in it. Mr. Considine is a versatile actor who gives here a tremendous performance as Morrell. The young actors, notably Andrew Shim, and Ben Marshall appear to be naturals. Vicky McClure is good as Ladine.It took a while to get used to the accents, as some of the dialog was lost. Shane Meadows is a new talent with a lot of promise and we look forward to his new ventures.

Hugely underrated on release, probably still so now this Is an excellent cautionary tale of friendship & naivety. For all the world It lulls you In to thinking It's a quirky, coming of age drama but mutates Into something very dark - as the main maniac vows. The beauty Is In the simplicity, concentrating on a handful of humdrum people In an unremarkable setting leaving It to the characters & actual story to do the work. It's Paddy Considine's eclectic performance as the small time psycho that dictates the tone & holds the film together - varying from hysterical oddness to very sinister Indeed. Honestly Morell portrays more complexities than many rubbish films I've wasted time/money on.The military green mini-van should be In a museum somewhere as It's priceless and his attempt at seduction Is Inspired. This Is a guy who truly believes a purple shell suit/visor Is going to Impress women - clearly the work of a sick mind. Despite all his great dialogue he's a sort of twisted pied piper, ultimately shown up for what he Is but even after completely losing the plot Considine Is damn funny - ask flash boy. And he must get some sort of award for possibly the least challenging question ever: "do you want me to put a hammer round your yead?, do you want It?" Turning a blind eye to his seriously manipulative, cynical ways Morell would be great entertainment on his own but that would detract from the story. At It's core this Is a sympathetic - almost feel good film and credit to the kids Andrew Shim & Ben Marshall for balanced displays belying the fact they were merely kids at the time. Shane Meadows Is a talented, no gimmick director who will hopefully go far - taking Paddy along with him for the ride.

not just another 'briddish' movie, this.although meadows already had one well recieved full-length feature (24/7) behind him, and a sizable reputation for being handy with a camcorder (he's made an impressive number of shorts), somehow this brave and sophisticated film got lost in the post lock, stock slop. strange as it stands head and shoulders above anything else made in britain in the past 5 years.but to define this peculier acheivement purely on the terms that it is british would be a terrible slight against this great movie. it is a film so sharp and true that it should please in just about anywhere, that just about anyone should be able to identify with the comic-horrors on display here. comic-horrors just as we might find them in life.much of this truth and beauty comes from the cast themselves. shim and marshall give relaxed performances, investing the film with charm, providing the emotional core, and avoiding the trappings that most actors of their age may have fallen into (gurning, grimacing, appearing generally overwrought). the adults are uniformly excellent to, but, perhaps inevtiably, it's paddy considine's morrell that makes the biggest impression. a man-child part that so many could've done so wrong considine gives a wild and unruly comic turn and twists the film into a darkness that few recent british films would dare to without the safety net of drugs or mockney gangsters. when it gets dark, it gets pitch-black. but we can never less than sympathetic for morrell. meadows knows his character inside out, and refuses to demonise him. we are never left wondering what is tormenting him, and meadows highlights that morrell's vicious alter-ego stems from being born into a society which has no place for him, and which constantly misunderstands him. even in the shocking climax meadows refuses to sanitise morrell. by not having the police come and tow him away, meadows leaves the question open, what will become of people like morrell? and believe me, they exist.a film that packs an emotional and political punch, is funny, and charming, and true. the sometimes intrusive folk-sy soundtrack aside, it's what you've been waiting for.