Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Martin Arrowsmith | ... | Dennis Wardrobe |
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Dave Blant | ... | School Pianist |
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Darren Campbell | ... | Darren (as Darren O. Campbell) |
Paddy Considine | ... | Morell | |
Shane Meadows | ... | Male Nurse (as Shaun Fields) | |
Julia Ford | ... | Sandra | |
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Ladene Hall | ... | Carol |
Frank Harper | ... | Joseph | |
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Nicholas Harvey | ... | Neighbour Lad #2 |
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James Higgins | ... | Bill |
Bob Hoskins | ... | Steven Laws | |
Vicky McClure | ... | Ladine | |
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Ben Marshall | ... | Knock Knock |
Joel Morris | ... | Park Lad #1 | |
Johann Myers | ... | Clifford |
Two twelve-year-old boys, Romeo and Gavin, undergo an extraordinary test of character and friendship when Morell, a naive but eccentric and dangerous stranger, comes between them. Morell befriends with the two boys and later asks them to help him pursue Romeo's beautiful elder sister. He gradually becomes more violent after she rejects him ... Written by L.H. Wong <lhw@sfs.org.sg>
It was so pleasurable to watch this lovely film about the quest for friendship and loyalty in an often cruel and punishing world. Meadows has been described as a Midlands Scorsese; however, to my mind there is a vein of sweetness, naivete, in Meadows' work, as in the man himself, that is absent from Scorsese's films. He captures, with reason - since much of his material is autobiographical - the jocular and tender aspects of working class life while rendering vividly the violence that can also lurk there. His dramas are always holding and infinitely endearing in a tough minded way. In this film, Meadows' love is obviously directed at the valiant and caring mothers, but he allows the fathers of the boys, who appear never to get it right, to finally redeem themselves, each in his own way.
In talking with Shane Meadows, I learned that he recruits his actors from the 6 - 20 year old group of actors in his town, and that he is very proud of the fact that, by this means, he can help them take a step toward extricating themselves from their hard lot in life. Shane Meadows is a survivor and an artist, one who has the heart and the enormous ability to give heart to others who must still find their way. Bravo!!!