London Kills Me

See this movie! Sure, the lives of the characters in it are terribly sad, but the only grim sort of sadness I felt, watching this, was due to the overwhelming lack of such richness in most American films. We're talking actors who throw themselves into their parts, rather than ride the oily wave of celebrity. We're talking a script that tackles, with only minute concessions to gimmickry (at times the playfulness crosses over into winsomeness), the true complexity of human beings. Clint, Muffdiver, and Sylvie are multi-faceted, unfolding (but only so far--no easy answers here) characters. The end's a bit tidy, but this remains a minor qualm in light of the film's rewards.

I picked it up at the video store about 10 years ago, because the title caught my eye. I was very surprised to find that the movie was very entertaining; with serious bits, but oh such funny bits too. I loved the wittiness of it. It took me a year before I was able to locate a place to purchase it. I have it in my library now and watch it every so often. I LOVE "Clint Eastwood! Justin Chadwick is perfect as Clint Eastwood.

The characters are very real, and you truly begin to feel for each one of them. Even the supporting cast gives such life to their characters. Of course Steve McIntosh is great as Muff Diver, McIntosh never disappoints with his acting.

as an extra. To be honest I always thought it would be bad - and sure enough - it is. Hanif was pretty well organised on set - but his 2nd Assistant did more. I thought Justin Chadwick was mis-cast. I am in the last scene in the cafe and I am badly cut earlier on - walking past the cafe then suddenly leaping back 10 paces (only I would notice though)

The problem with it is that even with Brad Dourif in it (met him - nice guy) the film has absolutely no international appeal whatsoever. It is so mired in the late eighties - early nineties that is has no universality and the world it portrays - a rather dull UK with a wasted Alun Armstrong as an Elvis impersonator - is completely misleading for any international viewer.

It's interesting that Hanif hasn't flooded the world since with stuff he's directed - no surprise on this evidence - he's a great writer - stick to that.

The £90 I got went on fares and food - shame it didn't put me off a career as an actor - might have stopped me wasting 2 years at drama school!

I really like this film! Of course the apparent main story of the shoes is nonsense, but I see this as a kind of a modern fairy tale. A very likable, light hearted story of a group of misfits & druggies going on with their life. I could relate to the characters quite well and many of them reminded me of people I know so even though basically they are obvious caricatures, IMO they are based enough on reality to make them fit for a film. The pace of the film is very loose & relaxed, and it has that special kind of... (sorry I'm not a native speaker) serendipity? Surprising beauty of very ordinary things that emerge from the everyday noise & chaos. The scene where the posse visits the countryside is very bitterly beautiful in so many ways.

It's not a documentary, so I won't really go into the subject of it giving a realistic image of the early 90s England or not.

If I'm to like a movie, I need to care about the lead characters and what happens to them. In this waste-pod of a film, I found myself hoping that they would all die in the end. None of the characters are people that you'd ever want to meet, they all made me sick. If not for a few nude scenes, I would have given this wretched movie a 1.