Child 44.

A grand cast doesn’t always equate to a grand film and one such case in point is Daniel Espinosa’s Child 44 (2015). Espinosa you may remember was the director behind the best of the Easy Money trilogy Snabba Cash (2010) and two of the stars from the trilogy appear in this latest movie, Joel Kinnaman plays Vasili Nikitin a middle-ranking officer in the Ministry of State Security (MGB) and Fares Fares who plays Alexi Andreyev. The main star and the films narrative backbone is the popular British actor Tom Hardy who plays Leo Demidov. As a child Demidov was orphaned during the Holodomor[1] in the Ukrainian SSR that took place in the 1930’s but manages to escape from the orphanage and is taken in by some kindly Soviet soldiers eventually becoming a war hero. After the war Leo Demidov becomes a MGB agent and uncovers a series of child murders but the MGB leadership refuse to except the death as murders because Soviet doctrine states that murder only occurs in capitalist country’s “There can be no murder in paradise” One of the dead children is the son of Leo’s best friend Alexi Andreyer and even he does not believe that his son has been murdered! The female lead in our story, which incidentally is based on a novel of the same name published in 2008, is another favourite of Movie Ramble Noomi Repace who plays Leo’s wife Raisa. When Raisa is accused of being disloyal to the state Leo refused to denounce her, both are sent to the town of Volsk and given demeaning jobs.  Both suspect that Vasili Nikitin is behind their downfall. Other well known and respected actors the calibre of Gary Oldman, Vincent Cassell, Paddy Considine, Charles dance and Tara Fitzgerald all have prominent roles in the movie.

 

Even a cast this good can't rescue this movie. 

But as I said at the beginning of this ramble a well known and respected cast does not always mean that what we are about to see is going to be something to rejoice over and I must say that this is true in the case of this movie. On the face of it this should have been an exciting mystery thriller but I’m afraid it’s completely lacking any real excitement, Its far to long, the story is made too complicated when there is no need to bogged down with unnecessary subplots.  The heavy “Russian” accents of the various actors force you to put on the subtitles to help understand what’s being said. Perhaps someone could explain to me why the story was not centred on the murder mystery, why the film was not made with East European actors with undertitles and why everything had to be so dark? The Ministry of Culture had the good sense to block the screening in Russia, as did other Eastern Block countries - but it was made available on DVD in these same countries even Russia has a bargain bin!

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[1] A man-made famine in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1932 and 1933 that killed an estimated 2.5–7.5 million Ukrainians, with millions more counted in demographic estimates. It was part of the wider disaster, the Soviet famine of 1932–33, which affected the major grain-producing areas of the country.

Pride.

Normally I don't like feel good movies but this one is a bit special in the same way that Made in Dagenham (2010) and Brassed Off (1996) were a bit special. It's the serious subject matter that these film’s tackle that makes them interesting with an added sense of British  humour, something none of us could get through life without, not these days anyway! Nigel Cole's film dramatises the Ford sewing machine strike of 1968 that finally lead to Equal Pay Act 1970 for women. Where as Pride (2014) directed by Matthew Warchus (who is soon to replace Kevin Spacey as creative director at London's Old Vic Theatre) deal's with two important subjects that could easily become a neglected part of our social history. Firstly lesbian and gay men's rights at a time when AIDS was becoming a key political issue, with little appetite from the authorities to fight the decease and secondly the UK miners strike which took place in 1984/85 which was the most significant and far reaching strike in the twentieth century, one which still has repercussions to this day and not just in the impoverished and run down mining community's that were left to rot but the far-reaching effects it is still having on the British working class, entirely imposed by rich elitist Westminster and their rich elitist backers in the City of London, incidentally this was the reason why a lot of people living in Scotland voted YES in the independence referendum – a fairer and more equal society.

 

LGSM get ready to join the march. 

The benefit concert.

This amazing story is based on true events that happened 30 years ago. It gives us an account of the alliance between the pioneering London fundraising group Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), and the people of a mining village in the Dulais valley in Wales who like the rest of the brave mining community were mainly reliant on outside help to enable them to continue with the strike and not starve! LGSM raised £11000 by December 1984 and also enough money to provide a much needed mini-bus for the miners to use. We witness the last gasp of popular socialism and the unfortunate rise of AIDS but what is really significant about this story is the coming together of two groups of people that one would think, on the surface would not be possible. An inspiring film that makes you feel that mankind could sort out their differences and then you read the newspaper and realise that perhaps this is just wishful thinking?

 

Jonathan Blake survives AIDs for 30 years! 

But Mark Aston died at 26!!

This film continues the long line of great British films that used to be called ‘social problem’ movies. As well as being entertaining it’s a political film about solidarity as the Welsh miners Union leader Dai Donovan (Paddy Considine who gives a commendable performance) meets Gay activist Mark Ashton^[1] (Ben Schneter) and they realise how much each of these different groups had in common. Both groups had a common enemy, both groups had been demonised by the right wing press and both groups had engaged in a fight with the political establishment to support what should be their rights, whether it is be your sexual preferences or to live and work in a community that should be safeguarded against outside interests, importing coal and now fracking to keep an austerity hit country warm. To be honest the gays seem to have done better over the years^[2] although amongst certain sections of an ignorant public and certain right wing political party's homophobia is still rife.  

 

Without LGSM and other support groups....

....the miners would have been starved out by the authorities.

Along with its great 80's soundtrack, which includes tracks by Billy Bragg, The Smiths, Frankie, Bronski Beat and The Pet Shop Boys reminding you that this period produced some great pop music, we have a terrific screenplay by actor turned playwright Stephen Beresford. Both 'sides' are well supported by some very well known actors. Besides Considine we have great performances from the magnificent Imelda Staunton, who played Hefina who died during the making of the film, and the magically understated Bill Nighy, along with Jessica Gunning, who plays Sian James who is now Labour MP for Swansea East, as well as Ben Schneter we have a wonderfully camp Dominic West who plays Jonathan Blake who was one of the first to be diagnosed with AIDS in the UK but has recently celebrated his 65th birthday, George MacKay, Joseph Gilgun and Andrew Scot supporting gay rights. Anyone with a social conscience and enjoys a dam good, well made film, will find Pride irresistible – but take a hanky! 

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^[1]The co-founder of LGSM Mark Aston died in 1987 of an AIDS related illness. He was 26 years old.

^[2] In1985 the Labour Party conference there was a motion to support equal rights for gay men and lesbians. It was carried due to a block vote from the miners Union that ultimately lead to civil partnerships and marriages. From being a criminal offence to legitimacy in a relative short time – for the UK! 

The Cry of the Owl.

As I said in my blog on Jamie Thraves debut film I have been looking forward to seeing more films by this promising British director. The Cry of the Owl (2009) is certainly different from his other two feature films, The Low Down (2000) and his latest Treacle Jr. (2010). Firstly it is a thriller and has been filmed in and around the Greater Toronto area in Canada; his other two feature films were made in the UK. Secondly it’s a British, Canadian, French and German co-production in conjunction with BBC Films, where as the director had to remortgaged his own home to make his latest movie!

Based on a Patricia Highsmith book of the same name with a screenplay written by Thraves. It tells the story of Robert Forrester who is going through divorce proceedings. This has a profound effect on his mental well being and he starts to spy on a girl living in an isolated house in the country. She appears to have everything Robert requires from life: happiness and contentment. One evening the girl, Jenny Thierolf, catches him in her garden and from then on she take’s control of the situation, ending her relationship with her longtime boyfriend Greg, believing that meeting Robert is an act of fate. Jenny makes advances to Robert but because of his mental state he feels unprepared to start a new relationship and rejects her advances.  The disappearance of Jenny's fiancé Greg after a fight with Robert marks the beginning of a series of dangerous and ultimately fatal incidents.

The film stars the American actress Julia Stiles (Silver Linings Playbook 2012) as Jenny Thierolf and our very own Paddy Considine as Robert Forrester. Considine is one of these actors that you will not see in a bad movie. He started his acting career in Shane Meadows breakout film A Room for Romeo Brass (1999). Recently appearing in Blitz (2011) and Submarine (2010) and winning a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut Director for Tyrannosaur (2012).

Julia Stiles and Paddy Considine.

Although this went almost straight to video I found it to be a very intriguing thriller with a good and interesting story that demonstrates how a sequence of actions, once started, are impossible to stop and eventually lead to tragedy. A slow and deliberate piece of work that deserved much better distribution.

Tyrannosaur.

Peter Mullan as Joseph.

Joseph resides in a council house on the Seacroft Estate in Leeds. Joseph is the type of misanthropic male whose back-story can be read on each and every line and crevice engraved on his world weary and battered face. Out first encounter with this lonely hard man is when we find him kicking his own dog to death because he cannot control his anger after an unseen confrontation in a betting shop. Before the powerful and moving Tyrannosaur (2011) reaches is ultimate conclusion Joseph will kill another canine in an even more brutal fashion than the first, probably not an ideal film for animal lovers? It's not until our violent protagonist meets the middle class charity shop assistant Hannah that he begins to reflect on his own misdemeanours. As this gritty story unfolds Paddy Considine's directorial feature film debut gives us, the voyeuristic viewer, the chance to examine two differing situations each involving physical abuse, one completely out in the open, unhidden for all to see and some to sample, the other hidden beneath a veneer of middle class respectability.

Olivier Colman as Hannah.

This movie is about anger and the difficulty some people have in controlling it. It's due to the skill of Considine's writing that allows the humanising of a character that should be beyond humanising and his directorial skill that allows the camera to examine the faults, flaws and sometimes the warmth of characters that reside on the very edges of society. Note the scene of Jack's funeral wake that tends to bring a tear to your eye, aided admittedly by the superb musical track that accompanies the scene.

Eddie Marsan as Hannah's husband James.

As good as Peter Mullan is at portraying Joseph, Olivier Colman steels the film as Hannah with a performance that gives a brutal insight into the suffering, both physical and mental that far too many women have to confront. A great debut film from a man whose acting skills have been showcased in many a fine British feature film. He has been quoted as saying that Tyrannosaur is not to be classed as social realism but rather as a truthful depiction of life.  The film was based on his original short film Dog Altogether (2007), which he wrote, directed and starred in. An award winning film if I ever saw one. 

Blitz.

If i say your guilty, your guilty!!

Irishman Ken Bruen is noir crime fiction writer who was responsible for the novel that the movie London Boulevard (2010) was based upon. He has also written a series of seven novels featuring the characters Detective Sargent Tom Brant and Chief Inspector James Roberts. It’s from one of these novels that Nathan Parker, who was responsible for writing Moon (2009) the sci-fi drama directed by Duncan Jones, based the script for Blitz (2011).

The copper stood on me foot, he had to go.

This crime drama is as usual based in London’s dark and violent underbelly! An out of control DS Tom Brant is based at a turbulent and unruly police station in South London. When we first see Brant he is beating up three young hoodies with a hurling stick for attempting to steal a BMW. As the story develops he joins forces with the gay Sargent Porter Nash who has been transferred from the West London police for privately dispensing justice without the backing of the courts. Nash is given the job as acting Chief Inspector to replace CI James Roberts who is on extended leave because of his wife’s recent death and his acute alcohol problems. This dubious pair of policeman are faced with a manhunt when fellow police officers are being brutally bumped off one by one.

This clichéd nonsense is directed by Elliott Lester and stars action man Jason Statham who grunts and growls his way through the role of Brant. Ever-dependable Paddy Considine tries his best as Porter Nash but in all honestly he’s not got a lot to work with. The only one to come out of this meaningless drivel with any kudos is Aidan Gillen who steals ever scene as a psychopathic murderer. It has the same nasty feel as London Boulevard in that if the criminals are deemed wicked enough and escape the normal justice channels then it’s ok to hand out rough justice and that no one going to care! A dangerous precedent to set? Well Harry Callahan can be forgiven but not Nash and Brant. A film for late night Friday viewing only. 

You must see my kitchen Brant?