I saw this film a couple of days ago at the BAFTA screening. The theatre was half full (or half empty ;) depending on your mood) and the audience, made by professionals and people in the industry mainly, was rather quiet throughout (read as: stiff). I'll give you some of my impressions without giving too much away (in fact even the trailer, which luckily I saw afterwards, ruins quite a lot of the surprises in the film, so try to avoid it if you can), though if you really want a SPOILER-free review, you should probably stop reading right now... Despite the film's story, its subject and its setting (gloomy and grey Scotland), "Hallam Foe" manages to be a rather light film for most of it, with lots of funny moments and sincere heart-felt scenes. The best thing has to be said, is Jamie Bell who really carries the whole film on his shoulders and never disappoints. His range of emotions is complete and he even manages to make a character which probably on page would look disturbing and uncomfortable, sympathetic and lovable
His character has been compared to the main character from the "Catcher in the Rye" and I can see why: Hallam Foe is an angry and confused boy, but he's clever and has moments of inspired brilliance (his job interview, or the way he manages to "shut up" his boss
). One of the scenes at the end, when he breaks down in tears, shows him at his best: fragile, natural, shameless (he even attempts a Daniel Radcliffe's Equus, standing almost complete naked in front of the camera... though not as brave as the Harry Potter actor, he cannot resist from covering his privy parts); but he's also very good in more relaxed and simple scenes, which could be straight out of any romantic comedy around today. I don't think I had ever seen Sophia Myles before, and I was quite pleased by her too
though her character has such extreme moments, going from stiff and serious to funny and a bit crazy that it's hard to tell how could anyone have played her
It is really hard to care for somebody so unbelievable
David Mackenzie's direction, script and choices are arguably not always the right ones... but then again, that's probably just me. A mixed of hand-held camera and very big close ups during some of the dialogue scenes and complicated and to my mind, not really needed, crane shots sweeping across the rooftops of Edinburgh (which give away the fact that most of it was clearly a set). It's nice to see Edinburgh shot in slightly different way from the way we are used to see. In the end what should have been a film about a kid coming to terms with the death of his mother and growing up, it becomes a lot more: it's also a film about a weird and probably even slightly incestuous and uncomfortable love story, a nasty step mother, voyeurism, sexuality, pain, death
There's just too much in it and some of it just doesn't go anywhere. For example, what the hell happens to the sister character and what was the point of all that goodbye scene at the front then? Was there any need at all for the sex scene with the stepmother at the front? You may argue that's the reason Jamie Bell leaves home
but to be honest the film would have worked just as well without. The scene with the mother's dress at the end is rather forced and actually for the film to worked better (WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG SPOILER HERE
) Jamie Bell and Sophia Myles should have never had sex (another scene that really sticks out as uncomfortable is the one where the two of them name their private parts
When you see it, you'll know what I mean). Actually, thinking back, it seemed to me that pretty much all the sex scenes and references are just out of placed. Anyway, to round it all up: "Hallam Foe" is an OK film, lifted from the bag mediocrity where most films lay these days by Jamie's performance and some lovely moments throughout which are genuinely inspired and original and make you want to forget the (several) other bad bits. The script leaves a lot to desire and one cheesy line follows another, especially from the characters of the father and from Myles' character. The music does however need special mention as most of it seem to be quite stop on, at least in terms of mood and energy.
As a film, it could all have been so much better But it just tried to hard to do too much.
As a film, it could all have been so much better But it just tried to hard to do too much.