Broken (2012)

Apparently "Broken" is 'inspired' by Harper Lee's much-loved classic "To Kill A Mockingbird," but I find "Broken" to be a better story with more well-developed characters (yes, you have found the one person in the world who isn't floored by "To Kill A Mockingbird"- don't stare, please, it makes me nervous.) It's certainly darker, as Lee's redemptive tone is replaced with unrepentant bleakness. The racial issues have been traded in, but the themes of injustice and the destruction of innocence remain.

   Spirited tween 'Skunk' (a powerful and expressive performance by newcomer Eloise Laurence) is stuck in that tricky transition between childhood and adulthood where matters of sexuality and maturity interest her, but are not quite within her grasp. Skunk's father, Archie (This generation's Atticus Finch,) (Tim Roth)  is an honorable man who loves his daughter with a fierce intensity but struggles to cope with her youthful antics.

   When Skunk's mentally challenged friend Rick (Robert Emms) is accused of rape and beaten by her redneck neighbor Mr. Oswald (Rory Kinnear,) Skunk is baffled just as much as Rick is- Rick has never laid a hand on Oswald's tramp of a daughter, and treats the situation with confusion and astonishment. He is portrayed in a very fine performance by Emms (who I saw just days before as a gay superhero in "Kick-Ass 2",) who resists the urge to overact and makes the character of Rick his own.

   Tim Roth is one of my favorite actors, and he does a good job here, but the entire cast is equally worth mentioning. Eloise Laurence is adorable and charming, but also shows real acting chops as compassionate Skunk. Cillian Murphy (known for films like "Batman Begins" and "28 Days Later) plays Archie's housekeeper's love interest, who soon becomes the target of Oswald's seething rage. He is flawed yet sympathetic, as are most of the characters.

   I did think the myriad disasters piling up for Skunk and Rick's families became a little bit melodramatic and hard to take. After a while it was like... really? Is there anything awful that's NOT going to happen to these people? There also could have been more build-up in the beginning scenes, instead of revealing everything immediately.

   I really liked the character of Skunk. I think the way she treats Rick says everything about her character. She acts totally like he's a normal person and talks to him accordingly, and never thinks it's weird that he's a grown man and they're friends. And her romance with local boy Dillon (George Sargeant) is appropriately chaste and really cute. She's a sweet, strong, and hearty girl, with a keen mind and a big heart. I liked the character of Rick too. He's a nice fellow, a little simple, and his fate saddens me.

   "Broken" is a powerful film and I'm not ashamed to say I liked it better than "To Kill A Mockingbird." So, it's a classic. Sue me. I hope Eloise Laurence has a big career ahead of her, but she's not the only rising star in this movie. Not many people can play the 'mentally handicapped' role without resorting to theatrics, and Rick is a profoundly sad and likable character. I recommend this film to drama lovers and people to like a sad, touching story.
                                             Rating-
                                                  8.0/10

24 7: Twenty Four Seven (1997)

 

Shane Meadows is one of my top favorite filmmakers, so although "Twenty Four Seven" is not bad at all, it's a bit of a disappointment with my expectations set so high. It is a well-intentioned independent feature featuring Meadows' trademark working-class Brits, and sporting a slightly confusing ending. It lacks Meadows' usual intensity, and although it has a pretty decent story to tell, I often found myself getting distracted.

   Good-natured and dedicated, Alan Darcy (Bob Hoskins) starts a boxing club to bring focus and passion to the kids in his lower-class town's lives. The kids, who have little to do but mingle and get into trouble, are initially wary of Darcy's enthusiasm, but eventually they find that boxing is a good outlet for their rage and frustration.

   Darcy tries to provide guidance to the disaffected working-class blokes in his neighborhood, including abused teenager Tim (Danny Nussbaum,) sadsack drug addict Fagash (Mat Hand,) and a lonely fat kid uncharitably dubbed 'Tonka' (James Corden,) but finds himself becoming increasingly frustrated with the town's limited options.

   When Darcy borrows stolen money to help set up his boxing club, I expected something to come of it, but nothing really comes of the plot thread. I liked Darcy, Tonka, and Tim but didn't find the characters as compelling as in some of Shane Meadows' other films, like "A Room for Romeo Brass," a film I gave 4.5/5 stars to.

   The more I thought about it, the more I had problems with the ending, which I found increasingly unclear. What exactly happened to a certain despicable character, and are we supposed to believe that that certain someone would have a road to Damascus and show up at the funeral at the end? Pfft.

  Nevertheless, Bob Hoskins did a good job playing a compelling character, and Shane Meadows' potential was evident from early on. The home-video footage of the young boy at the beginning was not really crucial to the plot, but I liked it anyway as it fit the mood of the scene.

   I would only really recommend this movie to Shane Meadows fans who are curious how his career progressed over the years. It was worth watching once, definitely. The absence of Paddy Considine ("Dead Man's Shoes") or Stephen Graham ("This is England") was disappointing, but Bob Hoskins did a good job as the idealistic protagonist. An interesting movie, if not exactly fulfilling.
                                                      Rating-
                                             6.5/10

Tsotsi (2005)

Compelling and startling, "Tsotsi" chronicles a young thug in Johannesburg's surprising redemption. The somewhat quick development of the violent main character strains credulity, but the storytelling is so earnest (and the acting is so convincing) that it should suck in even the most hard-hearted cynic.

   "Tsotsi," whose name simply means 'thug,' is a man without hope, without love, without a future or aspirations higher than being a ruthless criminal. He is played with dead-eyed determination by virtual unknown Presley Chweneyagae, in a performance so good you wonder where this guy has been for the last ten or so years. Tsotsi is part of a violent gang, and mercilessly abuses those around him, commanding control in spite of his non-threatening appearance.


   When Tsotsi shoots a woman during a car-jacking and drives away with an unnoticed infant in the backseat, he is thrust into the role of caretaker that he never could have anticipated. But what can a gang member and murderer do for a newborn? Your maternal instincts will cry out as Tsotsi keeps the baby in a paper shopping bag and allows it's face to get dirty and crawl with ants.

   Gradually, something changes- Tsotsi is finally living for someone other than himself. His heart begins to ache, memories of his abusive childhood flood in. He forces a young mother (Terry Pheto) to serve a wet nurse for the newborn, and they build an unusual rapport. Meanwhile, the injured mother (Pumla Dube) of the baby desperately tries to locate her missing child.

   I'm glad the movie didn't take the easy way out and go with a sensationalistic ending. Director Gavin Hood knows how to build a tense climax without overplaying his hand, and I appreciate him for it. The acting was all around very good, and the script was strong.

   I guess the only problem I had with the film was that the premise was far-fetched. I honestly thing that a character like Tsotsi, if he was unable to kill the child, would have left in the car rather than taking the responsibility of caring for it (or trying to) upon himself. Anyway, if anyone can make us believe in Tsotsi, it's the talented Chweneyagae. "Tsotsi" is an interesting and well-made film, and definitely worth a watch for lovers of international moviemaking.
                                       Rating-
                                              7.5/10

A Room For Romeo Brass (1999)

Shane Meadows knows how to do a slow-burner. One of Britain's most powerful filmmakers, Meadows is a master of racketing up the tension in a seemingly ordinary situation. Never stupid, never sensational, he casts his unblinking eye on modern life in the UK and the fragilities of human relationships. If I had to choose between Meadows and Mike Leigh, I would pick Meadows, every time.

   "A Room For Romeo Brass" is about how an ordinary friendship can undergo extraordinary duress when a dangerous third party is added to the mix. Two preteen friends, white Gavin and mixed-race Romeo share a brotherly bond that is equal parts camaraderie and constant teasing. Gavin (Ben Marshall,) called 'Knocks,' has a bad back and a limp, and is in transition to another surgery.

   He's always up to a bit of mischief, and Romeo (Andrew Shim) is his softer-hearted other half. When a man named Morell (a very young Paddy Considine) rescues Gavin and Romeo from some bigger boys, he seems like a harmless, if eccentric, addition to the group. With his 'Simple Jack' haircut and halting speech, he doesn't readiate 'cool,'but he is friendly and can tell a sensational story like anyone.

   The thing about these kinds of stories is, if they sound too good to be true they probably are, but this matters nada to the boys and one of them, Romeo, is sucked in by his dynamic personality. Gavin thinks that Morell is a sucker and good for a mean practical joke. He's deadly wrong. As Morell reveals a dark, violent side, Romeo and Gavin's friendship is tested to it's outer limits.

 Shane Meadows found two good little actors in Shim and Marshall, but Considine is the main draw here. Considine, who would later astonish audiences, including myself, in Shane Meadows' grungy revenge indie "Dead Man's Shoes", puts a unique spin on a character who is probably suffering from an undiagnosed mental disorder.

   Like "Sling Blade"'s Karl or"Buddy Boy"s Francis, Morell's uniqueness is electrifying to watch. At times I was wowed by this apparently simple man's ability to coerce and manipulate, and wondered if his limitations were a ruse and he was, in fact, a very clever psychopath. The truth is much more complicated.

   Wait for the precise moment when the up-til-then likably dotty Morrel becomes suddenly sinister. It's mind-blowing. "A Room for Romeo Brass" glues your eyes to the screen, and tells a intense story about friendship and betrayal, about a wolf in sheep's clothing who fleetingly wins- if not earns- our sympathy nonetheless. With it's three-dimensional characters and incisive writing, it's nothing less than riviting. Bravo, Shane Meadows. Keep them coming.
                                                      Rating- 
                                                  9.0/10

Little Red Flowers (2006)

A well-made story set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary China that, despite it's strengths, often comes off as boring and exploitative. I have no problem with child nudity in, say, "Let the Right One In," but the movie's obsession with the four-year-old's protagonist's genitals is  not only creepy, but just plain wrong. I've seen less nudity in a Lars Von Trier flick.

   Fang Qiangqiang (Bowen Dong) is a rebellious tyke who is dropped off at a grim boarding school by his father, than left to sink or swim, so to speak. What follows is a kind of brainwashing sicker than anything you'll see in "The Human Centipede" or "Audition."

   The kids are teased with the superfluous exercise of receiving little red paper flowers for good behavior. All Qiang wants is the flowers, but his habitual bed-wetting and daily transgressions make the others immediately dislike him. Hence- no flowers. The boarding school is barren and cold, except for a few toys that don't look like they couldn't make the cut for the Goodwill donation box.

Wendy and Lucy (2008)

This movie is not for everyone. Curious art-indie buffs, you know who you are. Others, look elsewhere. "Wendy and Lucy" is 'real' in such a way that it will delight a certain audience and bore the pants off everyone else.

   Drifter Wendy (Michelle Williams,) camping out in Oregon on her way to find work in Alaska, travels alone except for her beloved dog, Lucy. So when Lucy goes missing in a small podunk Oregon town, Wendy vows not to leave until she finds her best friend and traveling companion.

   Invested in her plight is a kind, otherwise unnamed Security Guard (Wally Dalton) who doesn't seem to do much work but instead gives her advice and comfort while she tries to find her dog. Wendy comes into contact with other people, some helpful, some detrimental, and in the end must make a painful and difficult choice.

"I Don't Honestly Think I Can Keep the Peace While I'm Incarcerated in This Shit House" (Made In Britain)

Made in Britain (1982)  

Written By: David Leland

 Directed By: Alan Clarke  

Why I Saw It: My daughter received it for her birthday.

Many years ago, I was employed, by one of our local mental health centers, as a substance abuse and violence prevention specialist. "Prevention" was a bit of a misnomer, since the students referred to us by the local school system were already painfully damaged and had been in all sorts of trouble. I went into my meetings with violent kids proudly armed with strategies for alternative ways of handling potentially volatile situations. There was only one small problem with this approach. These kids had no interest in my dumb strategies. After all, in any conceivable situation, why wouldn't they want to kick someone's ass?

Short Film Reviews: My Summer of Love and Ladybird, Ladybird

Tyrannosaur

Emotionally devastating and rewarding, a study of desperate individuals with seemingly nothing to lose, "Tyrannosaur" is one to put on your watch list. Now. Featuring electrifying performances from Peter Mullan, Olivia Coleman, and the criminally underused Eddie Marsan, it is as riveting as it is disturbing and shocking.

   Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a man seething with rage and contempt. When we first see him, he is leaving a bar after a fight. Irritated suddenly by the whining of his dog, tied up outside, he gives it a fatal kick in the ribs.

   Joseph seems to have this effect on everyone who crosses his path, and he certainly seems incapable of any lasting change, but that doesn't stop kind Christian charity shop worker Hannah (Olivia Coleman) from trying to help, to Joseph's great puzzlement.