Common (2014)

Jimmy McGovern's gritty drama stars Nico Mirallegro as guileless 17 year old Johnjo O'Shea, who goes from innocent bystander to accessory to premeditated murder after giving a few friends a lift.

Director:

David Blair

Writers:

Jimmy McGovern (script), Jimmy McGovern

Stars:

Nico Mirallegro, Philip Hill-Pearson, Andrew Ellis

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Nico Mirallegro	...	Johnjo O'Shea (as Nico Mirrallegro)
Philip Hill-Pearson	...	Tony (as Philip Hill Pearson)
Andrew Ellis	...	Kieran Gillespie
Jack McMullen	...	Colin McCabe (as Jack McMullan)
Jodhi May	...	Coleen O'Shea
Andrew Tiernan	...	Peter O'Shea
Ben Smith	...	Patrick O'Shea
Finn Atkins	...	Karen O'Shea
Robert Pugh	...	DI Hastings
Susan Lynch	...	Margaret Ward
Daniel Mays	...	Tommy Ward
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Liam Ainsworth	...	Albie Flanagan
Mark Chatterton	...	Hugo's Solicitor
Marie Critchley	...	Magistrate
Louise Delamere	...	DC Jane Pearson

Storyline

Jimmy McGovern's gritty drama stars Nico Mirallegro as guileless 17 year old Johnjo O'Shea, who goes from innocent bystander to accessory to premeditated murder after giving a few friends a lift.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 July 2014 (UK)

Also Known As:

Afta pou mas enonoun

Filming Locations:

Southport, Merseyside, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Drama Productions, LA Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

The voice on the soundtrack is that of legendary singer songwriter Robert Wyatt

User Reviews

Stirring rebuke of a dubious law

If you're reading this review, I might assume that you are American, as I am. This movie, obviously, occurs in Britain, and the subject matter(Joint Enterprise Law) is strictly British. Still, I assure you that this foreignness will not hinder your enjoyment or lessen the movie's criticism of the law.

The movie's crux is fairly simple. The protagonist is a 17-year old named Johnjo O'Shea. He drives 3 of his brother's friends to a pizza store, with the sincere belief that they only wanted a pizza. In actuality, however, the trio --- Colin McCabe, Hugo Davies, Kieran Gillespie --- intended to non-fatally confront an enemy, and during the altercation, Kieran Gillespie inexplicably stabs an innocent bystander. Johnjo O'Shea, who waited outside in the car the entire time, drove the trio away. He had no knowledge of the murder until after.

Based on those facts, you would assume that only Kieran Gillespie would be charged with murder because only he wielded the knife, no? There is where you are wrong, and there is where the movie's criticism begins and ends.

Courtesy of the "joint enterprise" law, all four boys get charged with murder, with the frightening prospect of life in jail. I would say more, but I won't spoil.

The movie nicely highlights the injustice of the law. Policemen, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys -- all are frustratingly heartless, devious, or dull in this flick. Joint enterprise becomes glaringly villainous because the viewer feels sympathy towards the protagonist, which arises from his own circumstances as well as the movie's depiction of his mother's worries (well-acted by the beautiful Jodhi May).

If I had one criticism, I wish the movie had been about 30 minutes longer (2 hours) to more fully develop the legal process. But this criticism is minor and clearly insufficient to prevent my conferring a 10 rating.