Pure (I) (2002)

A young boy trying to deal with his mother's heroin addiction befriends a waitress who helps him cope with the tough situation.

Director:

Gillies MacKinnon

Writer:

Alison Hume

Stars:

Harry Eden, Vinnie Hunter, Molly Parker

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harry Eden	...	Paul
Vinnie Hunter	...	Lee
Molly Parker	...	Mel
David Wenham	...	Lenny
Nitin Ganatra	...	Abu
Levi Hayes	...	Jack
Keira Knightley	...	Louise
Rupert Procter	...	Harry (as Rupert Proctor)
Bronson Webb	...	Tom
Marsha Thomason	...	Vicki
Geraldine McEwan	...	Nanna
Tyler J. Smart	...	Rose
Karl Johnson	...	Grandad
Mona Hammond	...	Woman Customer
Julia Deakin	...	Mrs. Rawlings

Storyline

Following the death of her husband, 10-year-old Paul's mother Mel comes to rely on an old friend, Lenny, who is also a pimp and dealer. Soon Paul must take care of both his mother and his younger brother. When Mel's friend and fellow user dies, Paul must confront the fear that has been gathering in the pit of his stomach: having lost his father, his mother too may abandon him. Even with his limitations as a child, he takes action to stop this from happening.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | death | heroin | waitress | junkie | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ein Kind von Traurigkeit

Filming Locations:

Capel Road, Forest Gate, Newham, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

A Bad Way Ltd., Kudos Productions Ltd., Little Wing Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Louise: [laughing] I'm gonna get you!

User Reviews

A brilliant portrayal of junk addiction and love in East London.

Pure, a film about a heroin addict mother in East London, could all too easily have become a cold and hopeless rendition of the destructive nature of drug use. Instead, through sensitive screenplay and compelling performances from the cast, it successes in showing how a binding familial love can triumph over the modern evils which so many face. Molly Parker, who plays a widowed junkie mother of two compels us to discover how she can care more about heroin than her two sons. However, the saving grace of the film is the mature and grounded portrayal of her older son, Paul, played by Harry Eden. His simple, heartfelt acting gives the audience a sense of his position, trapped between loyalty to his mother and the social services. It is Eden's acting, through which the film is shown, that we are immersed into the grimy drudgery of West Ham. His facial expression, never contrived or obvious gives a realism which makes him shine out against other child actors today. And when he too smokes heroin with his companion Louise (played by Keira Knightley in a refreshing change from her swashbuckling), we wonder whether the vice of this drug can grip him too. The image of a ten year-old boy chasing the dragon tips us to the edge of our seats and ponders what lengths this film will go to to show us such a different world. The cinematography offers haunting visions of this concrete jungle and is very effective. I felt the film's only downfall was its soundtrack which is written by only one person and gives little variation from its initial theme. However at some points its sentimental sound is appropriate. I really did like this film because at its core stood the moral that despite what influences of sin and hatred we might undergo, love will always remain. Well worth seeing.