When films are this poor it's sometimes difficult to know where to start.
Perhaps the best place to start is where the story/scriptwriters choose to start - which is, effectively in the middle of the story of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1942. It's a bad place to choose to start because the watcher has no idea what has gone on or is going on as the film opens.
In fact the film starts at the shocking deportations of "English born" from the Channel Islands September 1942 - February 1943. This appalling act by the German authorities could itself be a subject of a quite good film in it's own right - but that's not where the story goes at all. Instead the watcher is treated to seeing Russian slave workers getting off a boat in Bristol docks and wondering what the hell is going on. Yes - that's right - this low budget movie hasn't been within 100 miles of Jersey. It's filmed probably in Somerset somewhere. Just for that this film should be condemned. It doesn't even look like Jersey for Pete's sake. They couldn't afford to move a film crew there obviously.
Because the story pitches into the middle there is no build up and no back plot. Anyone who knew nothing about the occupation of Jersey would be none the wiser for watching this. For those of us who do know something about Jersey this film is disappointing to the point of excruciating.
Although the shocking true story of Louisa Gould is compelling, the script is poor and top acting (Seagrove, Hannah) cannot redeem it. The scenes and dialogue are not convincing. Instead the piece relies on very good interiors and costume which do manage to convey the spirit (and gloom) of that time. Indeed this spirit of irretrievable gloom is the only thing that works here. Elsewhere, we are treated to the usual stereotypes of German oppression and brutality and the whole thing soon unravels. It may get the watchers attention - but good films aren't carried by such devices.
Considering the subject matter - Another Mother's Son is a film that is so poor that it really shouldn't have been made. It doesn't and can't have a positive ending. This film doesn't tell us anything that we don't already know.
Perhaps the best place to start is where the story/scriptwriters choose to start - which is, effectively in the middle of the story of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1942. It's a bad place to choose to start because the watcher has no idea what has gone on or is going on as the film opens.
In fact the film starts at the shocking deportations of "English born" from the Channel Islands September 1942 - February 1943. This appalling act by the German authorities could itself be a subject of a quite good film in it's own right - but that's not where the story goes at all. Instead the watcher is treated to seeing Russian slave workers getting off a boat in Bristol docks and wondering what the hell is going on. Yes - that's right - this low budget movie hasn't been within 100 miles of Jersey. It's filmed probably in Somerset somewhere. Just for that this film should be condemned. It doesn't even look like Jersey for Pete's sake. They couldn't afford to move a film crew there obviously.
Because the story pitches into the middle there is no build up and no back plot. Anyone who knew nothing about the occupation of Jersey would be none the wiser for watching this. For those of us who do know something about Jersey this film is disappointing to the point of excruciating.
Although the shocking true story of Louisa Gould is compelling, the script is poor and top acting (Seagrove, Hannah) cannot redeem it. The scenes and dialogue are not convincing. Instead the piece relies on very good interiors and costume which do manage to convey the spirit (and gloom) of that time. Indeed this spirit of irretrievable gloom is the only thing that works here. Elsewhere, we are treated to the usual stereotypes of German oppression and brutality and the whole thing soon unravels. It may get the watchers attention - but good films aren't carried by such devices.
Considering the subject matter - Another Mother's Son is a film that is so poor that it really shouldn't have been made. It doesn't and can't have a positive ending. This film doesn't tell us anything that we don't already know.