The Unloved (TV 2009)

A film that gives a child's eye view of the U.K.'s government-run care system for orphans and children in danger.

Director:

Samantha Morton

Writers:

Tony Grisoni (screenplay), Samantha Morton (screenplay)

Stars:

Molly Windsor, Robert Carlyle, Susan Lynch

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Molly Windsor	...	Lucy
Robert Carlyle	...	Lucy's Father
Susan Lynch	...	Lucy's Mother
Craig Parkinson	...	Ben
Andrea Lowe	...	Vicky
Karl Collins	...	Karl
Johann Myers	...	Johann
Michael Socha	...	Michael
Darren O. Campbell	...	Darren (as Darren Campbell)
Kerry Stacey	...	Jackie
Ladene Hall	...	Ladene
Penny Morton	...	Penny
Marie Wheeler-King	...	Marie (as Marie Wheeler King)
Lauren Socha	...	Lauren
Christopher Russell	...	Connor

Storyline

Lucy is eleven years old. Having been neglected by her estranged mother and father, she is placed in a children's home. Through her eyes, we follow Lucy's struggle to cope with the system. Her saving is her self-belief and her certainty that she is being watched over and protected by the holy spirit. Hers is a heroic quest for love, beauty and transcendence.

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Plot Keywords:

abandonment | isolation | child abuse | drug use | reference to jesus | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Channel 4 [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 May 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Dihos agapi

Filming Locations:

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

EM Media, Film4, Revolution Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Samantha Morton wished The Unloved to be filmed for television rather than for Cinema. The reason being is that she thought, as in her own childhood experiences with going to the cinema, younger audiences' might not afford the price of a cinema ticket. Thus, younger audiences' would see this production "for free".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lucy: The Lord is my life and my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat of my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

User Reviews

Beguilingly poignant personal journey

Congratulations to first time director Samantha Morton and Channel 4 for showcasing this magically poignant portrait of a maltreated child suffering the indignities of Britain's under-resourced care system.

Star: Molly Windsor delivers a masterful evocation. The Unloved avoids the inherent pitfalls of such difficult subject matter.

Morton herself went through care, but this is no angry rant against her experiences, but an enlightening reconstruction of events exorcised through a perceptive and beguiling work of artistry.

Strong support from co-stars Robert Carlyle and Susan Lynch as Molly's estranged and troubled parents seeking personal redemption for the hurt caused and subsequent loss of their angelic daughter.

I can only hope this is not the only helmed piece Samantha Morton brings to this world, as she is indeed a talented voice in a world of increasingly entertainment driven indifference to the bigger issues which surround and impact upon us all. This cinematic picture should have been given a much deserved big-screen distribution.

Assured best new British drama since Red Ridding.