From my favorite movies..

A Major Disappointment

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

A British indie much in the same vein of standout examples like Fish Tank, Tyrannosaur and in many respects This Is England, Clio Barnard's small budget acting driven piece is also much like these films not something to watch if you are in the need of a cheer up, but is an impressively constructed, scripted and acted piece that despite showing it's hand too early, provides a frank, honest and raw look at the lives of childhood friends Arbor and Swifty.To say that Arbor and Swifty are underprivileged would be an understatement, for these children are very much the products of their environment that disallows them to focus on being a child. Arbor played by the often great Conner Chapman is an angry boy, the boy at school that is a ticking time bomb of violence and attitude and a leader to the more mellow and slow Swifty played by the also quite great Shaun Thomas. As a team, Arbor and Swifty are a mismatched pair, Arbor a part of a divorced parent team and Swifty a member of a large "pikey" like family that he clearly feels responsible for, but the two work together gathering scrap and products to try and make a dollar and help support their lives as school goes on the backburner. Arbor and Swifty's plight may seem like a slight journey yet the direction of Barnard is a steady one that leads to many a touching moment.The Selfish Giant is at its core a tale of friendship and a tale of survival in a sad state of affairs for these boys and it's a tale that feels sadly believable. With a great eye for the grimy detail of the world these boys live in (again hearkening back to these other fine U.K films of the similar vein) Barnard captures this life of the boys fantastically from the fog strewn paddocks, the telephone tower laden lands or the rundown housing complexes, the world feels authentic and the characters relatable. The boy's dealings with scrap metal owner and horse enthusiast Kitten also feels real in a place where everyone is looking to rip off everyone and a child doing a man's job is nothing to baulk at.With a pace that is at times awkwardly played out and with a story that sadly ends up exactly how it looks likely to, The Selfish Giant is held back slightly by its own doings but is popped up to a high standing thanks to some great young actors, a heartfelt script and a fine directional turn from the to watch with interest Barnard. Not a movie to bring a smile to your face, but a movie that is another fine showcase for the impressive work many budding British filmmakers are producing that are all types of authentic and true.3 and a half stripped wires out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check into - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com

The two leads, as unknowns, are superb, as are all the child actors in this.Of the adults it is clearly led by the performance of the three lead female actors (four: I should include the school receptionist). But this film has such an almost documentary feel about it you can forgive any of the acting that may feel a little strained or unnatural (perhaps because of a lacking in the script?).There are some wonderfully emotionally funny scenes equally matched by ones of sadness. People often use words such as grim, depressing or bleak. But this is Britain as it is; which is about looking for the humour and humanity beyond the circumstance of living. If you haven't been in Britain, then you might be forgiven, if you live here then maybe you have been sheltered: This is really how life can be; but it is far more a story about a boy's journey to manhood.As a statement on modern society then it speaks volumes to say that nothing is different now as from when it's 60's counterpart Kes was made, or for that matter in anytime in our history.But for me it won on all levels for it's such strong sense of humanity, on Arbor's journey of discovery, which was lacking, somewhat, in Kes.

The Selfish Giant is in line with the purest British tradition of social cinema à la Ken Loach, relying on classical, overused yet still striking, themes such as poverty, unemployment and the social link.But while the tireless Englishman manages to create a story around those themes and to (relatively) renew himself, Clio Barnard's approach remains very primary. The plot lacks grip and stakes, we've seen the situations a million times before, the characters can't be more typical and ultimately the scenario doesn't offer anything that hasn't been tackled, often in a better way, in other productions. Basically, every characteristic of the genre is excessively emphasized which sometimes gives the impression to be watching a parody.However, the story still does the trick because it is sincere and the good direction coupled with good acting make The Selfish Giant an above average movie yet too banal to really stand out in a saturated genre.

Every once and awhile a movie comes along and rattles your core. It doesn't use graphics or fantasia - just raw human grit.It picks you up gently, rising you ever higher. You peer from this mountainous peak of mortal avidity as you gaze upon the truth that which it shows with such grotesque purity. You then realize you're helpless at such a height - as if suddenly finding yourself uncomfortably aware of the precarious position you're in as your heart, your mind, and your soul yields to its every whim; forcing you to confront the harsh reality that is life.In the midst of the aftermath, you emerge anew, humbled, adapted - for one more jaunt into the fray.This my friends, is one of those movies.