Thursday 11 August 2016

How I Live Now (2013 Kevin MacDonald)

Filmed in Wales, this adaptation of Meg Rosoff's apocalyptic novel seems to be about the effects of war on family, as Saoirse (a difficult name to spell) Ronan grudgingly learns to care about her cousins, particularly George MacKay (Pride, Private Peaceful, The Boys Are Back), with whom she falls in love. Her messed up mind well caught in audio.

All is deliberately vague and unspecified (it doesn't matter where they are or who the 'terrorists' are). There's something earthy and organic in it. The screenplay is by Jeremy Brock, Tony Grisoni and Penelope Skinner with additional material from Jack Thorne (This Is England  series) - quite a lot of contributors, you might think. It moves zippily along and is well edited by Jinx Godfrey (The Theory of Everything, Page Eight, Man on Wire); Franz Lustig on camera, Jacqueline Abrahams the production designer.

It's certainly not a project I can see Kevin's granddad undertaking.... Had me thinking of John Wyndham's 'Wrinkle in the Skin', Q of Survivors.

With Tom Holland, Harley Bird (both rather good), Danny McEvoy and Anna Chancellor.



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