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Reviews
England Is Mine (2017)
Barbarism Begins Before the Opening credits.
As a die hard Smiths fan, I was really looking forward to this. The trailer was promising, good cast and seemed to have all the makings of a classic.
However....
This is a VERY difficult film to engage with. It's more a pre-Smiths Morrisey biopic than anything to do with The Smiths as a band. It gives a slight nod to Johnny Marr but that's about it. It does capture the period well but the whole thing just feels languid and a bit pointless.
The actors do a fine job and while one can't lay the blame at Jack Lowden's door, the single biggest problem this film has is that Morrisey is such an unlikeable, irritating **** that you almost don't want him to succeed, even though he does.
If you're a Smiths/Morrisey super fan you'll get through it without turning it off but it does leave a lot to be desired.
Side note, it also contains the single most disgusting and downright odd compliment to a female I've ever heard. It involves the word "toothpaste". You've been warned.
I would be amazed if Morrisey sanctioned any of this. He's not known for being super agreeable (and he would probably be the first to admit that) but this doesn't show him in a good light at all.
La peste (2018)
A work of staggering genius.
Period dramas are ten a penny. Period dramas that are done well, not so much. But La Peste is in a league of its own.
The first thing that hits you from the off with this is that it aint going to be an easy ride. The impending sense of doom and unease is present from the outset; helped enormously by incredible performances from the cast. What I loved about it straight away was that I totally believed this was the 16th century. The production team must have gone to extreme lengths to get this right and they absolutely knock it out of the park. Not since Deadwood have I seen a period drama with this much attention to detail. It's just staggering. Everything down to the lanterns they carry to the window frames and the overall grime and filth that most of the story takes place in. You're just there. You can practically smell the streets in this. It's THAT realistic. The Auto-da-fé scene in the final episode is a particularly brutal one with a hyper-realistic burning at the stake that, none too subtly, shows the savagery of the Inquisition and indeed the 16th century in general. I literally felt ill watching that bit. So much so, I had to watch a making-off to remind me it wasn't real. It's gloves off all the way with this one. Be warned, it's not for the faint-hearted. I can literally think of no scene in anything that is more gut-wrenching. Once again, incredible job by all involved. Also, the story itself is a fascinating and well-told one. It keeps you guessing throughout and you won't see a false note from any of the cast. Absolutely brilliant.
Becoming Elizabeth (2022)
How period drama SHOULD be done.
So often we see period drama that is too overproduced. All a bit too perfect. That's not the case here. From the very first scene it really does feel like the 16th century. It has that gritty realism that compliments the performances, which in this are fantastic across the board.
This is also quite an interesting period of history that is seldom explored. You've got the three children of Henry VIII all with their own beliefs and ideas on how to rule in a country that is divided and on the brink of disaster.
It is absolutely travesty that this show has been cancelled. It would have been so interesting to see that next part play out.
My only real problem with this show is that it's finishing. It ends on a real cliffhanger (even though we know what happens) and we're left really wanting more and, sadly, we ain't getting any.
This was like the TV equivalent of the parent that takes your favourite toy away. Thanks for that, Starz.
The White Princess (2017)
Doesn't quite hit the mark
I came away from this feeling it was huge missed opportunity. The actors in this show are fantastic, the script works well. It doesn't really do anything badly as such. Yet....
It just feels a bit too glossy. Never mind the fact that it plays VERY fast and loose with historical facts. It's by far not the worst culprit for this and, to an extent, that's to be expected. It just doesn't feel like we're watching something set in circa 1480. It's all just bit too immaculate. Too perfect. The attention detail just feels off. With something like Wolf Hall, you really feel like you're there. It has that dank coldness that period drama of this nature need. The show that really knocks it out of the park on that front is Le Peste. You can almost smell the streets in that.
If this had just gone with a bit more realism it would have complimented the performances better, in my opinion. It's entertaining enough and Jodie Comer never disappoints but it just lacks the authenticity that a show like this needs to gain maximum impact.
Derry Girls (2018)
It's NOT the Irish Inbetweeners
OK, people really need to stop comparing this to The Inbetweeners. Although there are some vague (and I do mean vague) similarities this is a very different show and also excellent in it's own right. OK, so it's about a group of teenagers at or around exam time that get into teenage high-jinx but that's really about it. Like The Inbetweeners, it does very much have that Skinsy-Channel-4 feel to it but one thing it never does is resort to gross-out humour. In many ways it's a little dryer although the performances are more over the top at times. One area it definitely does a better job in is the characterisation of the parents. They even get their own episode in the last season, albeit a flashback one but a great instalment none the less. It's also set in the 90's towards the tail end of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, which provides an interesting and nostalgic backdrop for the show in general.
OK, so you COULD make an argument that some of the characters owe a nod to The Inbetweeners. Orla is a bit like the Neil of the group in that she's blissfully unaware of herself and not too bright. Michelle is a bit like Jay in that she is the loud trouble maker and Dylan and/or Claire is a bit like Will in the sense that they often point out the stupidity of the others and don't seem to quite fit in. Erin is kind of the dreamer of the group, which I guess would make her the Simon but this is really efficient picking and choosing here on all of them. The most obvious comparison is Sister Michael to Mr Gilbert. These two are pretty close in that they have all the best lines, hate their jobs (ie the kids) and steel every scene they're in owing to great performances and pin-sharp casting.
In summary, similar in a few ways, worse in some, better in others and a fantastic show in its own right. If you haven't got into yet put a weekend aside and plough though it. It's an absolute joy.
Wentworth (2013)
A Diamond in the Rough
When you hear words "women's prison drama" you can't help but think of Orange is the New Black. It had great success on Netflix and was well deserving of the acclaim. Wentworth, it's supposed Australian counterpart, actually started year before OITNB in 2012 so we're definitely not looking at any re-hashes here.
It would seem logical to compare the two but the only real similarities I can see are that it's largely a female cast and takes place in a prison. Wentworth is quite a different show to OITNB despite its obvious similarities. The major difference is that it's much more edgy and doesn't rely on comedic relief. The treatment of its characters is relentless in what they are put through and the prison life at Wentworth makes Litchfield seem like a holiday camp by comparison.
There are similar power struggles taking place, prison politics and so forth but Wentwort's drama often goes beyond the prison walls where as OITNB keeps things more confined. We do get more of the characters backstory in OITNB but that doesn't necessarily make it a stronger show. Wentworth gives us everything we need to relate to the characters we're seeing and while the laddies in both casts give stellar performances across the board, the laddies at Wentworth have a very different job to do in bringing a gritty realism to the piece. For instance, the showing of drug use packs a much bigger punch as does the unforgiving brutality of the prison yard, often in the literal sense.
Wentworth is a highly intelligent show that offers no easy way-out for any the characters. The prison itself is almost like a character in the show in way that is seems to consume everyone that steps into it. The prison officers are also trapped in their own way be it in either the confines of the bureaucratic system they're serving or someone else manipulating them. Mostly, Joan Fergusson played to eerie perfection by Pamala Rabe. Possibly one of the most ruthless TV villains ever put on screen.
On performances. It feels a little unfair picking out anyone for special praise as there isn't false note among any of the cast but if I had a gun to my head I would have to say that particularly worthy of note are Nicole Da Silva's Frankie Doyle, the resident bad-ass. Danielle Cormack as the main protagonist, Bea Smith and Kate Atkinson as Vera Bennett, an obsequious and ambitious prison officer haunted by a controlling mother.
OK, so it's not completely perfect. There are moments (particularly in the early seasons) where it can feel a bit soap-ish from time to time. It teeters on the edge but never fully topples in. Also, some of the storylines seem a tiny bit far-fetched from time to time and you do get the feeling the certain things happen just to play to the requirements of the plot. It also has this rather strange trope of giving us 3-5 seconds of slow motion for no apparent reason as it often happens at very arbitrary moments.
All in all, this is a fantastic piece of drama with an amazing cast. My advice would be to put a couple of weekends aside and just binge the hell out of it.
Silent Night (2020)
Surprising Refreshing.
When one sees a poster for film like this, it instantly conjures up images of Lock Stock, or worse, Tarantino rip-offs. You expect a cavalcade of meaningless profanity or words like 'mug' and 'shooter' ringing in your ears in the first 10 minutes. Not to mention every other character rocking a quirky sobriquet. You might also expect a predictable plot with two-dimensional characters and endless clichés. Most of the time you'd probably be right.
But not with this.
While this film does tick a lot of the brit-grit boxes, it does so in such a way that keeps within a style of its own. It walks that tightrope that many films of this ilk do in a genre that is possibly dying a bit of slow death and while it does wobble in the breeze from time to time it never tumbles into the pit of banality. What stops it from doing so is a mixture of clever direction from Will Thorne, finely nuanced performances from the cast, subtle yet highly effective cinematography from Malcolm Hadley and a chilling score from Keiran Merrick. All of their combined efforts do make for a very enjoyable watch.
OK, it's not without its problems. For instance, the narrative drive of the film can, at times, feel a little tired; albeit not for the want of effort. It's a bit like watching a determined cyclist giving their all to win a race and having to slow every now and then to catch a breath. There is also the odd scene here and there that could do with a trim, in my view, but nothing that spoils the film.
This is, overall, an impressive piece of work form a director that is not scared to take risks. I dare say there will be a few die-hard Lock Stock fans that will feel a little wrong-footed with what this film offers and it may be asking a little too much of it's key demographic in terms of open-mindedness but for those who enjoy a more thinking persons crime flick, this is bound to score enough points.
The First Team (2020)
Definately Watchable
Honestly, this show is really not as bad as some of these reviews would have you believe. Coming from the guys who wrote The Inbetweeners, you should have some idea of what to expect and there are some clear similarities. It's this very reason that makes this show difficult to judge on its own merits.
Starting off, I would say that If your a fan off The Inbetweeners, it doesn't mean you'll definitely like The First Team. However, most of what the the writers did well with Inbetweeners crosses over nicely here and it's a show that is definitely not without it's own charm. There are a few false notes here and there but I expect this is show just finding its rhythm.
OK, so there are some issues. One of which is that the characters are a lot less relatable. Apart from the fact the not everyone likes football it's also set in a world most of us know nothing about. The Inbetweeners has tons of relatability as most of us do know what it's like trying to get by at school and not quite knowing where to fit in socially. Since a big part of comedy is about how well one relates to something, this is mostly why the humour falls a tad flat sometimes. These characters are also (to different extents) already successful so we're not rooting for them the same as the Inbetweeners boys or sympathising nearly as much. Playing professional football in any capacity is successful compared to most people so the underdog thing doesn't really work here. Very hard to feel sorry for someone being paid 25k per week.
One thing I really like is that the writers didn't go with a narration v/o this time. This show really doesn't need it so they made the right call, in my opinion. Formula wise, it operates on a very similar level to The Inbetweeners and it moves along at a nice pace and doesn't drag or get boring.
The Mattie character is quite similar to Will in the sense that he is kind of a fish-out-of-water with all this madness going on around him where he's the only appearing sane. The way he responds to people when they say something stupid, for example, is exactly like Will. He is, however, more likeable, in my view, and Jake Short does a great job playing him.
This show definitely deserves a second season. It will be interesting to see where it goes. Don't believe the haters. It's not a classic by any means but if you like football and a bit of gross out humour then it's definitely a fun watch.
Polar (2019)
Great Filmmaking
As we saw post Dogme 95, films made with virtually no money only have their performances and technical prowess to fall back on. Fortunately, this film delivers on both these fronts. This certainly feels like it owes a nod to the mumblecore movement as it instantly had me thinking of the Duplas brothers and the like in that it's very much a striped-to-the-bones story that relies on little else other than the highly realistic performances of it's cast as well as a director that knows just how to set the right tone.
Our central protagonist is played exceptional well by Drew Horner in the role of Robin, a gauche but likeable ne'er-do-well that just wants life to move in a difference direction but can't seem to get out of his own way. This is balanced out by Rotimi Pearce's Steve, the tough-love approach best friend that seems to be Robin's only source of support. Both actors bounce off each other so well that one's allegiance jumps back and forth throughout.
The supporting cast are uniformly tight and give just what's needed to keep the film in the highly naturalist realm that Dom Jackson takes us too. The camera work and choice of shots are simplistic and effective and coupled with the strong soundtrack, provide the perfect stage for this impressive drama to play out.