I LOVE this film. It's beautifully written, directed and played by all concerned. A wonderful study of life as a non-Hollywood teenager, with all its angst, misery and confusion that seems so unfair at the time, and which is so funny/irritating/infuriating to everyone else. Earl Cave is eminently slappable as the morose teenager who is expecting to spend the summer in Florida but instead has to stay home with his mum. Handled with understated aplomb by Simon Bird, who quite rightly concentrates on the characters and who draws out some lovely performances, but whose interesting choices also make the film look just that bit different and lend an air of magic realism to the dullest of suburban moments. A real pleasure to watch and rewatch.
Review of Days of the Bagnold Summer
