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Originally penned and published over a decade ago and now paired with my Youtube channel reading of my spoiler free review recorded late last summer, 2023.
I simply can’t recommend this stunning film highly enough.
The opening ten minutes are equal parts shocking, riveting and heart breaking and they set the ground rules for this stunning first film helmed by Paddy Considine. A film that on first viewing reduced me to tears (which great films often do) but many viewings later still does. They’re not personal tears in any way, it doesn’t resonate me with for that reason. It resonates with me because several horrendous subjects are tackled so brilliantly by a cast of actors all producing a master class in their art.
Considine has received the utmost praise for this film from his film industry peers, however if you love this film as much as I, read the appraisals of his actors, or the various YouTube clips of their interviews talking around this film and you’ll see and hear the unbridled admiration, affection and genuine love for Considine, his art, and particularly this film.
I’ll briefly appraise the opening scenes before a continuing spoiler free character analysis to end.
The opening ten minutes starkly demonstrates “Joseph” (Peter Mullan) dual state of mind. With flash cuts and an unexplained flashback/flash forward, a loss at the bookmakers prompts a stream of verbal abuse, which becomes a regular theme throughout the film. As does the violence, as first he murders his faithful and beloved dog before mourning it’s passing. A racially aggressive meeting at a Post Office boils to breaking point before Joseph is contrite and accepting. His leaving of the Post Office provides yet more duality and a simple shot from the Director, as never moving the camera, Joseph walks out of shot before returning in a few seconds to throw a brick through the window.
Quietly now within his thoughts at his local pub, the silence is broken in the background by three young lads larking around, playing pool. Again boiling over, Joseph responds, violently beating one lad, threatening another as the third runs away. The camera never wavers from Joseph, 30 seconds or more, the anger etched all over his face.
Out of shot, the pool cue is dropped and the tension drains from the scene.
Desperate, he walks into a charity shop and immediately hides behind a rail of old clothing, with the camera panning for the first time onto “Hannah” (Olivia Colman). “What’s your name?” asks a bemused Hannah. “Robert De Niro” comes the response from an angry Joseph, still hiding. “Would you like a cup of tea, Robert?” comes the tension breaking reply from Hannah, but Joseph’s angry response of “fuck off” soon ratchets the tension up again. Kneeling on the other side of the clothing rail still hiding Joseph, Hannah kneels too and says a simple prayer aloud. Two cameras capture two differing reactions, a worried Hannah, and a weeping Joseph.
Closing the shop, a smiling Hannah warmly asks “You feel better now?. Not ignoring Hannah, but not responding either, Joseph walks away to a smiling, cheery “Bye” from Hannah.
This is another of those difficult films to appraise without giving too many spoilers. Following that opening ten minutes is a further eighty minutes of tension which builds, scene by scene, often sub scene by sub scene too in the background, as well as character by character. All characters have a duality, some on show immediately, some subtly build as the narrative dictates the story. Only one character remains constant and true, and heartbreakingly so. But the story is the key. So very well told and simply shot by first timer Considine, the unusual angles and key shots are impressive, but it’s the length of time he leaves on the characters to tell their story that is the most impressive. As below, Peter Mullan excels here, but it could see easily apply to both Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan and probably does too. There is a huge breather and relief scene and it comes at both the best time for the audience and for the film as a whole and in a very unexpected guise. When you find it, it’s a joy.
“Joseph” (Peter Mullan). So little dialogue in the film, yet Peter Mullan does much with it, and so much more. The ending scene narration has probably more words within it than his dialogue in the entire film! But the camera never wavers from Joseph, so often with a zoom close up lingering for many seconds with no dialogue and yet it’s a thunderous performance. His duality of character is detected within seconds of the film, yet there are so many more layers to unravel before Joseph is fully on show. An early example is the scene following the above ten minute opener, with the camera fully on Joseph, a slow panning reveal shot to Olivia, Jesus on the wall behind her, the diatribe and language that follows (as noted above) shocks and jolts you as he walks away from the charity shop. His friendship with “Sam” or “Son” as he often calls him is superb. Sam (Samuel Bottomley) deserves a special mention of his own. Brilliant for a boy so young.
“Hannah” (Olivia Colman). Appears fresh faced, smiling and full of a zest for life and a gentle kind soul with a deep religious fervour. Olivia Colman’s performance is an acting master class and fully deserving of the slew of awards she garnered. Similar to Joseph above, the camera also never wavers from Hannah, and their joint scenes are glorious. As the layers unravel, so the acting enhances your involvement with the character, and your willing of the character to triumph. Her later scenes with a distant husband James are truly heart breaking. As they embrace, the camera pans to a zoom on her face and she gives everything, solace, condemnation, love, regret and pure unadulterated hatred as she forces herself not to be sick. Just pure brilliance.
“James” (Eddie Marsan) Yet another great, nuanced performance from Eddie Marsan. His intentions and layers are the easiest to spot, yet the toughest to watch. Picking up Hannah from a night out drinking, he places her in the car in a police arrest style. It’s subtle, yet says far too much.
In support of these wonderfully layered and heart breaking characters are “Sam” (Samuel Bottomley) who deserves a repeated mention for his touching and gentle shared scenes with his adopted Father like figure in Joseph. “Kelly” (Sian Breckin), “Bod” (Paul Popplewell), “Marie” (Sally Carman) and “Tommy” (Ned Dennehy) all deserve praise for their cameos and supporting roles, but are left vague so as to not hint at or spoil the plot.
The charity shop is the central hub of the film and where many of the key scenes take place, employing one, maybe two cameras at most for many of the scenes. The majority are Joseph and Hannah dual scenes, each one a gem in its own way, even the briefest of scenes propel the story. Aside from the heavy violence and heavy use of language, it’s a story of single people confined within partnerships or relationships they seek release from. Perhaps a metaphor for the film is Hannah’s anger at the Jesus picture hanging on the wall of the shop before in anger, she throws something at it to dislodge it, as the lingering camera shot depicts. It can be a tough watch at times, the violence it depicts is up close, in focus and very graphic, yet as the actors will attest to, handled magnificently by Considine.
Dedicated “For Pauline” the Director’s late Mother, in the closing credits, it’s clearly a very raw and personal film for the Director.
Written and Directed by Paddy Considine with only 19 credited cast members and 3 uncredited cast roles, Chris Baldwin and Dan Baker deserve great praise for their original music, especially the solo guitar score and a number of original songs throughout the film, with “Sing All Our Cares Away” a particular favourite. This song and many others accompany a triumph of a film which is worthy of so much praise. I add Paddy Considine to my list of favourite Directors and eagerly await his next cinematic release.
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.