I really wanted to love this film. I liked the concept, the fact that it was a personal film to the cast and crew, and the under-hype that was going on about it - Brit film at its best perhaps. To be honest, I didn't love it. I maybe liked it, in some parts enjoyed it, but certainly didn't find it the soul-achingly poignant drama I think perhaps it was meant to be.
If I'm honest I think that maybe too much attention was paid to the cinematography of the piece and that maybe Baillie Walsh's previous career directions affected the finished article - the opening sequence was more like Tales of the Unexpected than a feature film and I think a couple of the songs were overused, thereby lessening their effect. We all have a soundtrack to our life but life is more than a music video, which I feel this had overtones of. The 'scrambled' looking scenes and cut aways did nothing to add to the drama of the moments nor the progression of the story itself.
I found it watchable but I think had there been slightly more meat on the bones of the script it would've been vastly improved. The performances of the actors were on the whole outstanding and without such convincing characters this film would've been a disaster, hence the reason I gave this a 6 and not a lower score.
Would I watch it again - probably not. Would I heartily recommend it to a friend - probably not. Why? Not because I think it's a terrible film, just because its only a tenth of the film it could've been.
If I'm honest I think that maybe too much attention was paid to the cinematography of the piece and that maybe Baillie Walsh's previous career directions affected the finished article - the opening sequence was more like Tales of the Unexpected than a feature film and I think a couple of the songs were overused, thereby lessening their effect. We all have a soundtrack to our life but life is more than a music video, which I feel this had overtones of. The 'scrambled' looking scenes and cut aways did nothing to add to the drama of the moments nor the progression of the story itself.
I found it watchable but I think had there been slightly more meat on the bones of the script it would've been vastly improved. The performances of the actors were on the whole outstanding and without such convincing characters this film would've been a disaster, hence the reason I gave this a 6 and not a lower score.
Would I watch it again - probably not. Would I heartily recommend it to a friend - probably not. Why? Not because I think it's a terrible film, just because its only a tenth of the film it could've been.