Too much of everything

Pretty Good

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I have given this film a 3/10 because I still think it is worth watching, if only as a poor comparable to true Indie cinema. Unfortunately it is films like this which give "arty" movies a bad name due to their lack of plot, strange juxtaposition-ed music and quirky situations. There are many moments in the film which made me truly cringe...like the dreamy wheelchair sequence and the strange cross dressing. Of course if done properly in another film, these could have both been very thought provoking moments, symbolising our society overcoming the fear of minority groups blah blah blah. However the symbolism simply wasn't there in this film. The only aspect which I found truly enjoyable was the father character, whose acting was truly sensational. I believed every word he said and his struggle was obvious even when he had no lines to say. All in all, I would say that this is a good film to watch if you are 14 years old and just starting out on your journey of discovering alternative cinema. It is a very gentle and naive attempt at something more profound.

Shane Meadows is an under-acknowledged genius, and in this short film about the friendship between two boys, lippy Tomo and drippy Marek, all of his strengths are on view (in spite of its brevity): the ability to coach brilliant performances out of largely unproven casts, hilarious yet real dialogue, simple but atmospheric cinematography and an excellent soundtrack provided by his long-term friend and collaborator Gavin Clark. It's true, that not a lot happens, but it's an utterly moving paean to the virtues of simple companionship in a lonely world. The setting near Kings Cross reminded me of Mike Leigh's 'High Hopes', another film whose strength is its affection for its characters; 'Somers Town' is a slighter film, but a perfectly realised one.

After one day picking up 'Dead Man's Shoes' and enjoying it very much, I was instantly interested in Shane Meadows other work. The release of Somers Town was no exception. I watched it in Nottingham which is where one of the main character's home is said to be in the film which added a certain local feel to it.Anyway, shot in black and white this film is about two lads who eventually become good friends. The black and white film certainly suited the overall feel of the film and the location. The acting of the characters seemed very natural, and Thomas one again puts in a good performance. The film has various comedy elements to it, and one of the characters in particular who appears to be a market trader is one to watch out for! I couldn't help but notice the film has a naive child like feeling about it but that is hardly surprising considering the two main actors are 15.This is an excellent film and is definitely worth seeing!

Shane Meadows' new release, Somers Town, has received mixed reviews in the British press. The film has received criticism for its source of funding, having been developed with the funding of Eurostar from a promotional short to a fully-fledged feature. But beyond this, Somers Town has been criticised for being short, inconclusive and too whimsical in handling its grim subject matter. I would contend that although the style of Meadows sits rather awkwardly with the involvement of Eurostar, the film itself is a triumph: funny, intelligent and poignant.Set in an area of inner city London near the construction site of the new Eurostar train terminal, the film follows the fortunes of two young boys from troubled backgrounds. Tomo, played by Thomas Thurgoose, arrives in London on a train from Nottingham, having run away from home. He never lets on about where he came from, and when asked he says that there is 'nothing' there. When Tomo reaches London he is soon set upon by a gang of youths. The camera moves uncomfortably close to Tomo and the bullying youths and the subsequent chase and beating set a dark undertone for the rest of the film. Thurgoose is superb in this lead role, cheeky, rude even, but charming and disarming – a far cry from the youths who attack him in the film's opening.Tomo crosses paths with Marek (played by Piotr Jagiello), a young Polish immigrant living with his father, Marius. Marius is working long hours on the building site of the future Eurostar terminal and Marek is listless in his absence, roving the streets of London with his camera until he bumps into the disruptive Tomo. The two boys, though from very different backgrounds, are essentially rootless, and soon become friends. Together they vie for the attention of Maria, the beautiful waitress working in a local café, leading to some of the happiest scenes in the film. They also help out budding salesman Graham, a slightly absurd and very amusing Del Boy character.The dialogue amongst the characters in Somers Town is excellent, often hilarious but at times sad and moving. Thurgoose delivers his lines with a sharp wit and the film is at its funniest when the two boys compete for the affection of Maria. The darker scenes in the film, including the attack on Tomo and the falling-out between Marek and Marius, are believably portrayed and equally engaging. Where the dialogue flags is where the new Eurostar terminal – and the accompanying ideas of travel and escape – work their way into the story. It is difficult to disregard the source of funding for the film and it is at these points in the film that there is a vague whiff of product placement.Nevertheless, it seems that Shane Meadows has used the creative licence afforded to him to re-work the original short film idea into a distinctive work. Although his film runs to only 75 minutes it does not feel insubstantial or inconclusive – quite the contrary. The wistful, poignant ending throws light on the preceding film and affirms the themes of rootlessness, despair and dreams of escape.With the wealth of Hollywood blockbusters and fine foreign-language films being produced this year it has been easy to overlook the films emerging closer to home, but this superb film has made me sit up and look for more British cinema.