Maidgethma Wonderfully offbeat film!
Linkshoch Wonderful Movie
Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .
Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
anxietyresister That's what I kept asking myself during the many fights, screaming matches, swearing and general mayhem that permeate the 84 minutes. The comparisons also stand up when you think of the one-dimensional characters, who have so little depth that it is virtually impossible to care what happens to them. They are just badly written cyphers for the director to hang his multicultural beliefs on, a topic that has been done much better in other dramas both on TV and the cinema.I must confess, I'm not really one for spotting bad performances during a film, but it must be said that Nichola Burley (as the heroine's slutty best friend) and Wasim Zakir (as the nasty, bullying brother) were absolutely terrible. I don't know what acting school they graduated from, but if I was them I'd apply for a full refund post haste. Only Samina Awan in the lead role manages to impress in a cast of so-called British talent that we'll probably never hear from again. At least, that's the hope. Next time, hire a different scout.Another intriguing thought is the hideously fashionable soundtrack featuring the likes of Snow Patrol, Ian Brown and Keane. Now, I'm a bit of a music fan and I'm familiar with most of these artists output, but I didn't recognise any of the tracks during this movie (apart from the omnipresent "Run"). B-sides, anyone? We get many, many musical montages which telegraph how we're suppose to feel. These are accompanied by such startlingly original images as couples kissing by a swollen lake and canoodling in doorways. This is a problem, as none of the songs convey the mood efficiently, and we realise the director lacks the ability to carry the emotional journey to the audience through storytelling and dialogue alone.The ending is presumably meant to be just desserts, as everybody gets their comeuppance and there is at least one big shock in store.. But I remained resolutely unmoved because the script had given me no-one to root for. It's not enough to tackle a hot-button issue, you have to actually give us a plot that hasn't already been done to death and individuals who are more than window dressing. As it stands, this film is a noble failure, with only the promising lead actress and a few mildly diverting punch-ups to save it from the bin. 4/10. Must try harder..
tim-robinson-2 This movie is a contemporary UK vision of an age old story as epitomised by Shakespeare, but with two at odds relationships adding a layer of complication. The situation, a volatile northern English town, typically Bradford, and characters, one Islamic Pakistani family and two prejudiced English families loosely representing the Capulets and the Montagues.The star crossed lovers are young people meeting through in the first a common work environment, and the second a random encounter.Given what I am sure was a limited budget, this is a valid insight into contemporary cultural divides and intolerances. The level of ignorance and fear presented on both sides of the equation is a scathing attack on the goldfish bowl worlds all parties are raised in, perpetuated by the petty shortcomings of the familial peers.Despite other commentary this is a work of art which moved my, rarely moved by Hollywood fodder, rather cynical and jaded emotions. Certain scenes had me sad, angry and hopeful.I hope you take the time to view this and find it as rewarding as I did. The acting is not always top notch, a mostly unknown cast, but the atmospheres are captured well and emotionally it is up there with the best workings of the Bard's masterpiece.
woodyfromderby About time i watched one of those films that real does move you. Having spent some years in that "world" i can definitely see the problems and issues that unfortunately can still arise in todays society. Although sometimes quite upsetting that this sort of attitude behavior still occurs in the modern world of 2006, this turns into a a real 'feel good' film, with plenty of morals + some fantastic music which suits the scenes perfectly. It grabbed me in the first few minutes. I did wonder if people would enjoy this film who hadn't lived in Northern England at first, but the direction, story line and acting make it all the more pleasurable.
puckhead95 An excellent film. Low budget for sure but that might have helped, not hindered, this film. It has a very realistic feel and look. There's no glamourizing here. But at the same time, it doesn't feel overly dramatic.The actors, all newbies or very limited in experience we all very believable. No one dies like you might think someone will at some point. Fantastic acting and editing. The story flowed so well.Other films will be made for far more money with big name actors and directors but I doubt they couldn't have done any better. Maybe not a perfect film but is there such a thing?
