London River (2009)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Rachid Bouchareb

Writer:

Rachid Bouchareb (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 April 2009 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After traveling to London to check on their missing children in the wake of the 2005 terror attack on the city...

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Brenda Blethyn	...	Elisabeth
Sotigui Kouyaté	...	Ousmane
Roschdy Zem	...	Butcher
Sami Bouajila	...	Imam
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marc Baylis	...	Edward
Bernard Blancan	...	Ouvrier forestier
Gurdepak Chaggar	...	Travel agent
Aurélie Eltvedt	...	Guide chapelle
Diveen Henry	...	Female inspector
Francis Magee	...	Inspector 1

Runtime:

Germany:87 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

UK | France | Algeria

Language:

English | French | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Filming Locations:

Cavaillon, Vaucluse, France

Company:

Arte France

Doubt is a killer

Weeks after the terrorist attacks in London a mother calls her daughter, over and over again. She hasn't heard from her in a while and is getting more and more anxious about her, knowing she lived close to where the events took place. When she goes to London to find her she finds a man instead. A man who matches her in one important manner - he is searching for his son. The two of them continue their search together and slowly find out more about themselves and each other.

Dark and dreary, depressing and painful. Sometimes people get together for entirely the wrong reason and this is one of these occasions. They connect rather well and play their stories out in a believable way. As they go through their daily routine it becomes all too painfully clear where it will all end - but the real pain of this film is that it ends too quickly. It runs for 87 minutes and could have used another 15 without having grown less intense. The shortness makes it feel a little rushed, but only a little.

9 out of 10 steps in the dark