Grow Your Own (2007)

An English community gets testy when a refuge family is granted a plot of land on which to grow vegetables.

Director:

Richard Laxton

Writers:

Frank Cottrell Boyce (screenplay), Carl Hunter (screenplay)

Stars:

Benedict Wong, Eddie Marsan, Omid Djalili

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Benedict Wong	...	Kung Sang
Eddie Marsan	...	Little John
Omid Djalili	...	Ali
Alan Williams	...	Kenny
Philip Jackson	...	Big John
Pearce Quigley	...	Eddie
John Henshaw	...	Charlie
Olivia Colman	...	Alice
Joanna Scanlan	...	Barbara
Sarah Hadland	...	Carla
Roland Manookian	...	Mike
Diveen Henry	...	Miriam
Mel Raido	...	Nick
Sophie Stanton	...	Debbie
Sophie Lee	...	Phoenix

Storyline

Political refugees are given allotments as part of a scheme to help them fit into the local community. Reaction is mixed amongst the allotment holders of Blacktree Road, ruled with a rod of iron by committee chairman and ex-cop Big John, who bullies his son, known as Little John. Mobile phone company employees Carla, a go-getting bitch, and her dim young assistant, Mike, arrive at the allotments, offering five grand for one of the plots to make way for a phone mast. It is obvious that the sacrifice will be made by one of the new-comers. John is not keen for it to be Iranian Ali, because he is a qualified doctor, who gives free advice. However, Ali and his family are arrested as unsuccessful asylum seekers and John turns his attention to the plot given to Kung Sang, a traumatised oriental whose young children tend to communicate on his behalf. John's bullying treatment of his son over the latter's interest in African Miriam, and his strict adherence to the rules - including the ...

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Plot Keywords:

three word title | imperative in title | british | family relationships | father son relationship | 

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Taglines:

You never know where you'll find your roots.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

La Montana
Written by Efrain Rios
Performed by Mauricio Venegas and Efrain Rios
Published by Campbell Connelly & Co Limited

User Reviews

Missing the Point

I deeply suspect that 'tfitoby' is missing the point of what I found to be an extraordinarily sensitive and subtle piece of social comment. The point is HOPE and the vehicle is COLOUR. From the social to the physical, Richard Laxton peppers his film with the symbolism of diversity and change. From the stark, colourless winter emerges the blooming promise of spring, (using mirrored panning shots at either end of the film: Katherine Mansfield's time-honoured narrative tools in celluloid). From inconspicuous attire, evolves the vibrant 'panache' of Hawaiian shirts. The dichotomy of confinement is also explored (a space normally connected with travel, trade and promise presents itself as a physical and mental incarceration, whilst the physically enclosed space of the allotments represents freedom, social and cultural responsibility and diversity - not to mention what the intrusive nature of the communications industry). These are not humorous issues, but I feel that genuine and warming comedy helps to highlight, implicitly and explicitly in this film, the myriad of social problems – and joys - we face today. I suggest very strongly that 'tfitoby' takes another look - perhaps he could watch it on one of the BBC's prime viewing slots, say, on a Sunday evening?

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 June 2007 (UK)

Also Known As:

Grow Your Own

Filming Locations:

Caryl Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$498,278

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warp Films, Art in Action, UK Film Council

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1