For me, the BBC Films logo is always a bit of a warning sign. Whilst their films are invariably challenging and technically well-made, they are often either unrelenting grim, or in strangely poor taste.
Tamara Drewe ticks both of those boxes (the second much more than the first). Overall, the film is little more than a group of shallow clichéd stereotypes, mooching around a rural village and sleeping with each other. It lacks any real depth or insight and cannot be deemed to be truly "worthy commentary". At the same time it is too dark and too sleazy to be palatably humorous either, and yet still does not work as black humour.
There are so many ways that the film could have been improved - from making some characters believable (the two teenage girls and many of the authors are not) to centring the film around one character or one relationship, and making that the focus. Instead the film wanders aimlessly around, seemingly looking for titillation, and finding it remarkably often.
To snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in so many ways, Tamara Drewe has really achieved something quite remarkable.
And a note to non-UK viewers - this is a shallow (and bitter) parody of the UK, quite unlike the bulk of UK-produced films, in fact.
Tamara Drewe ticks both of those boxes (the second much more than the first). Overall, the film is little more than a group of shallow clichéd stereotypes, mooching around a rural village and sleeping with each other. It lacks any real depth or insight and cannot be deemed to be truly "worthy commentary". At the same time it is too dark and too sleazy to be palatably humorous either, and yet still does not work as black humour.
There are so many ways that the film could have been improved - from making some characters believable (the two teenage girls and many of the authors are not) to centring the film around one character or one relationship, and making that the focus. Instead the film wanders aimlessly around, seemingly looking for titillation, and finding it remarkably often.
To snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in so many ways, Tamara Drewe has really achieved something quite remarkable.
And a note to non-UK viewers - this is a shallow (and bitter) parody of the UK, quite unlike the bulk of UK-produced films, in fact.