Dark River (2017)

Following the death of her father, Alice (Ruth Wilson) returns to her home village for the first time in 15 years, to claim the tenancy to the family farm she believes is rightfully hers.

Director:

Clio Barnard

Writers:

Clio Barnard, Lila Rawlings (story development) (as Lila V. Rawlings)

Stars:

Ruth Wilson, Jonah Russell, Paul Robertson

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ruth Wilson	...	Alice Bell
Jonah Russell	...	Pete
Paul Robertson	...	Declan
Sean Bean	...	Richard Bell
Una McNulty	...	Susan Bell
Esme Creed-Miles	...	Young Alice
Aiden McCullough	...	Young Joe
Olivia Brennan	...	Ellie
Mark Stanley	...	Joe Bell
Joe Dempsie	...	David
Mike Noble	...	Rowan
Steve Garti	...	Jim
Dean Andrews	...	Matty
Kenton Foster	...	Auctioneer
Jake Hayward	...	Young David

Storyline

After receiving news of her father's death, Alice, a young travelling sheep-shearer, tentatively decides to return to the dilapidated family house of her childhood, in muddy North Yorkshire. Surprisingly, it's been already fifteen years since Alice left behind an ailing dad and her older brother, Joe, to wander about from farm to farm; however, this cold and heavy homecoming will be Alice's last chance to reclaim the land she believes was once promised to her. But, now, on one hand, there's Joe's resentment paired with a rancorous rivalry between siblings--while, on the other hand--fleeting mournful shadows of a troubled past permeate the walls of an imperfect prize. What will it take to keep the haunting memories at bay?

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Plot Keywords:

brother sister relationship | farm | rural setting | haunted by the past | yorkshire | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film has three actors from the award winning series Game of Thrones (2011). These and their respective characters include Sean Bean (Ned Stark), Mark Stanley (Grenn) and Joe Dempsie (Gendry).

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Quotes

[Last Lines]
Alice: Can I come and see you again? Can I?
Joe Bell: Yeah.

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Soundtracks

An Acre of Land
Traditional British song
Adapted by Harry Escott
Sung by PJ Harvey (as P.J. Harvey)

User Reviews

Powerful drama

SPOILER: A welcome change from the British film industry away from lame comedies and its obsession with the plight of minorities and urban dramas to this excellent but disturbing Northern masterpiece. You certainly won't leave the cinema uplifted but if you're a drama fan you'll be well satisfied. I was more shocked than I thought I would to see the lasting effect of child abuse. This is really the foundation of the film which shows how the effects of a dark family secret can resonate for ever. Some excellent strong performances by the actors. This is a very visual film and the use of audio to enhance the impact of the scenes is well worth a special mention.

My rating 8/10 Highly recommended if you like powerful dramas

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark River

Filming Locations:

Northallerton Prison, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,246, 1 July 2018

Gross USA:

$7,714

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$239,182

Company Credits

Production Co:

BFI Film Fund, BFI's Film Found, British Film Institute (BFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1