• Stark visually, bleak in tone, and heavy in subject matter — Tim Roth (debut as a director, obviously a very talented and accomplished actor) follows in the proud British tradition of Davies, Loach and Mike Leigh—debut year – 1999—similar to Lynn Ramsay’s Ratcatcher (which is superior) as well
  • Two first-time younger actors are anchored by Tilda Swinton and Ray Winstone. The daughter- Lara Belmont is good—but the Tom character- Freddie Cunliffe needs a better actor here
Two first-time younger actors are anchored by Tilda Swinton and Ray Winstone. The daughter- Lara Belmont is good
  • The boy, Tom, is a peeper (insert GIF of Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Talented Mr. Ripley– haha)
  • A young Colin Farrell here in a few scenes two years before his breakout in The Minority Report
  • Roth gets good performances from the cast but his singularly greatest achievement is the choice of the two main settings—he chooses a house in the country shot in complete isolation—along with a lookout war shelter box, also, in isolation on a cliff. These are statements by Roth—great choices and great form.
Roth gets good performances from the cast but his singularly greatest achievement is the choice of the two main settings—he chooses a house in the country shot in complete isolation—along with a lookout war shelter box, also, in isolation on a cliff
Subject matter incest—very tough scenes to watch
  • Subject matter incest—very tough scenes to watch. Beyond that there is psychological detail here in how comfortable this family is around each other’s nakedness.
  • Recommend but doesn’t come terribly close to the top 10 of 1999