I was lucky enough to be invited to a private screening of Almost Married, I didn't know what to expect as this is director Ben Cookson's first film and I admit I wasn't going into the cinema with any great expectations. What I was treated to was both surprising and extremely satisfying. Almost Married isn't afraid to shock the viewer, with scenes of male urination and visits to GUM clinics, although none of this is done gratuitously, what AM does so brilliantly is to address issues that are relevant in today's society, it does it with a cheeky smile on it's face and some crude jokes along the way. STDs and binge drinking are as much a part of British culture as Strawberries at Wimbledon and Fish and chips on Margate beach are now a days, so it's refreshing for a film to be brave enough to highlight these issues. It would have been easy for AM descend into ever increasing crudeness for crudeness' sake, thankfully this is simply not the case, the issues are handled with a degree of sensitivity and at times tenderness that is virtually always missing from low budget Brit comedy Flicks such as this one. Emily Attacks' performance was fantastic, giving the viewer laughs as well as moments of genuine emotion as she realises the relationship she loves so much is ebbing away from her. The two leading men play off each other brilliantly, Philip McGinley is perfectly cast as our protagonist, the desperate Kyle, who concedes to having made a huge mistake on his Stag do and will do (pretty much) anything to avoid telling his wife to be that he has contracted an STD. Mark Stobbart provides the majority of the laugh out loud moments as Kyle's sidekick, the outrageous, outspoken Jarvis, who conjures up increasingly interesting ideas to get Kyle off the hook and out of trouble, his unique wisdom and words of advice make for some extremely funny moments. The entire cast manage to keep the balance between funny and tender perfectly, even scenes involving prostitutes in a brothel are handled with maturity and discernment. The final scene of the film throws up an unexpected and brilliant twist that you won't see coming. I left the cinema with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction after 97 minutes of pure entertainment. In short, this is a superb directorial debut and I would recommend anyone to go and see it, you won't be disappointed. Bravo Ben Cookson, I for one am excited to see what your next venture will be. This will surely be the start of a long and successful career in film.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Utterly heartbreaking brilliance
1 June 2014
It's difficult to put into words how brilliant this episode was, it was truly beautifully scripted and acted, Ricky was at his very best all episode long. The first half had laugh out loud moments and old school slapstick comedy. The second half was what I can only describe as pure genius, to listen to Derek's thoughts on life, redemption, resolution and happiness was a joy, whilst at the same time hard to watch as it was so raw, so pure and so very true. Anyone that's ever lost anything or anyone, or regretted not saying something to someone when they should have done (and let's face it, who hasn't) will relate to this in someway, personally it had me sobbing like a baby. I won't put any spoilers in this review, I just implore you to watch it and I dare you to have dry eyes at the end!
Only God Forgives
(2013)
Art house cinema
5 August 2013
If you're going to this film with the expectation that it is a sequel to Drive then think again. It's easy to understand why you would think that, having seen the trailer in the cinema, it looked to have similar themes and of course the same director has once again put Ryan Gosling in a tight white shirt. That is where the parallels stop, what the viewer gets is 90 minutes of uncomfortable but rewarding viewing.
The plot is simple, brother murdered, mother wants revenge and asks remaining son to carry it out. There are obviously sub plots to this and that is in fact what makes the film for me. Vithaya Pansringarm plays the part of the omnipresent, slightly demented, moral crusader to perfection, gliding on and off screen with effortless menace. Kristen Scott Thomas steals every scene she's in as Gosling's far too familiar, foul mouthed and cold mother. As for Gosling, he's hardly the hero in this tale, just another character in the story, he does show glimpses of compassion at times but all in all he overplays the silent, brooding lead role. The scenes of extreme violence will challenge even the most strong stomached amongst the audience, but never the less add to this dark feature. The pace is slow at points but what do you expect from an art house film, it's not Man of Steel you have come to see. I could go on about the lighting and constant use of the colour red but I'll let you discover that for yourself, I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys something left of the middle.
The plot is simple, brother murdered, mother wants revenge and asks remaining son to carry it out. There are obviously sub plots to this and that is in fact what makes the film for me. Vithaya Pansringarm plays the part of the omnipresent, slightly demented, moral crusader to perfection, gliding on and off screen with effortless menace. Kristen Scott Thomas steals every scene she's in as Gosling's far too familiar, foul mouthed and cold mother. As for Gosling, he's hardly the hero in this tale, just another character in the story, he does show glimpses of compassion at times but all in all he overplays the silent, brooding lead role. The scenes of extreme violence will challenge even the most strong stomached amongst the audience, but never the less add to this dark feature. The pace is slow at points but what do you expect from an art house film, it's not Man of Steel you have come to see. I could go on about the lighting and constant use of the colour red but I'll let you discover that for yourself, I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys something left of the middle.
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