Powerful Loach / writer Paul Laverty set-up with violent offender Robbie (an impressive Paul Brannigan) narrowly avoiding prison for community service, where he meets a decent chap (John Henshaw) who takes a liking to him. (Note when the youngster asks the older if he gets on with his daughters - 'gone down to London' - he doesn't answer.) More powerful scene where Robbie faces a young man he has beaten so badly his life is ruined (it is suggested Robbie has had his own shitty upbringing, of course. This is a Ken Loach film, for ever socially aware, balanced.) With loyal girlfriend Siobhan Reilly and new baby, he is determined to go straight, but will his violent past catch up with him? Well it does the minute they find a nice flat, and that continued to worry me right up until the end.
And then we get into the distillery, the whisky and the mates he makes on community service: William Ruane, Gary Maitland, Jasmine Riggins. Oh, and Roger Allam turns up, too.
It's about giving people a chance in life. Brannigan was very like his character, scarred, ex-con. He met Laverty when he was researching characters - the writer suggested he be given a go.
Robbie Ryan shot it very naturalistically and in your face in those gritty scenes.
No comments:
Post a Comment