Kiss of Life (2003)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Emily Young

Writer:

Emily Young (writer)

Release Date:

2 January 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Helen lives in London with her father and her kids. John, her husband, is an aid-worker in Eastern Europe...

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Ingeborga Dapkunaite	...	Helen
Peter Mullan	...	John
David Warner	...	Pap
Millie Findlay	...	Kate
James E. Martin	...	Telly
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ivan Bijuk	...	Old Man
Sonnell Dadral	...	Rajiv
Natalie Dew	...	Nicky
Gemma Jones	...	Sonia
Elizabeth Powell	...	Little Kate
Marinko Prga	...	Mercedes Driver
Barbara Rocco	...	Woman In Bar
Dragica Sreckovic	...	Old Woman
Davor Svedruzic	...	Angry Soldier
Heather Tobias	...	Teacher
Rosie Wiggins	...	Nadine
Ivan Zadro	...	Depot Worker
Ranko Zidaric	...	Depot Boss

Also Known As:

Helen of Peckham (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

France:86 min (Cannes Film Festival) | UK:100 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:12A | Netherlands:12

Company:

Autonomous

Soundtrack:

Just Wanna Be

Beyond "Beyond Borders" - a down-to-earth telling of the (psychological) struggles endured between a foreign aid worker and his immediate family that also needs him

"Kiss of Life" (2003) from BBC Films, written and directed by Emily Young, is a depiction of several days in the lives of a global relief worker (in far away yonder of remote Eastern Europe) and his family of wife, daughter, son and father-in-law back in London, England. It's the less glamorous side of the emotional reality of such a family, with a husband & father who has the ambition to 'save the world' of others while the world immediate to him seems to be crumbling, desperately beckoning him to return home where he's really needed.

Yes, the subject matter is tough - quite courageous of Young to tackle in her debut feature. With the help of two talented leads: Peter Mullan (always fascinating to watch) as John and Ingeborga Dapkunaite (memorable from "Burnt By the Sun" 1994 Russian film) as Helen - the woe-begotten couple (love amiss and love a-longing), along with Millie Findlay as Kate the budding teenage daughter, James E. Martin as Telly the taciturn young son, plus veteran British actor David Warner as Pap in his solitude (grandpa to the children), we have an 86-min. of tense, anxious emotions at play. The son reminds me of director Angela Pope's 'Hollow Reed' (1995, Martin Donovan, Joely Richardson with Sam Bould), a film also with a young son quite alone and coping with crisis. The daughter (the only one with makeup on most of the time) presents her teen angst in parent conflict situations, yet we see her caringness and intimate conversational moments with Mum.

Emily Young's "Kiss of Life" is an emotional ride (wringer). The Croatian Unit location shot scenes are well edited by David Charap and cinematography by Wojciech Szepel with music by Murray Gold gave the various moods a measured balance to the plot progression. There is poetry to the reminiscent flashbacks and pause moments placed to each character's thought sequences.

I was lucky to be able to catch this rare gem of a movie on Cable Sundance Channel. In spite of the seeming anxiety and probable 'tragic' turn of events, the glint of hope is there - that John's perseverance against all odds could pay off, perhaps at the loss of one and regaining connection to the others. Life is short and cherish it with the ones dear to us, we are prompted.