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Film REVIEWS
DRAMA THE ANGELS’ SHARE (15) 101mins ●●●●● Here persists the noble quest of Ken Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty to create accessible, populist films about the lives of the UK’s so- called underclass. Unfortunately, The Angels’ Share is straining so hard to be accessible and populist that it feels forced; hemmed in by its own earnestness, it just can’t achieve the nimbleness that its playful premise demands. Early scenes find Loach on familiar territory, as our young protagonist Robbie struggles to re- enter society after a spell in a young offenders’ institution. His girlfriend’s pregnant and his crimes hang heavy on him; if the message that rehabilitation and forgiveness are elusive for the underprivileged is given a bit of a hammering, Paul Brannigan’s taut, edgy performance adds authenticity. It’s when Robbie discovers an instinct for whisky tasting – and glimpses a means to turn this to his financial advantage – that the film takes a tonal lurch and starts shooting for Full Monty-style
rough diamond high jinks.
Certainly it’s interesting to attempt this meld of moods – to show us the grim realities of Robbie’s crime and punishment, and then to beckon us along on an improbable wish- fufilling frolic – but the shift feels jarring rather than inventive. Ironically for a filmmaker frequently celebrated for his commitment to realism, Loach here gives us something suffocatingly constructed; a dumbed-down caper that’s trying so hard not to be arty, pretentious or overly complex that it lands itself solidly in sitcom territory. In trying to cater to everyone – state-of-the-nation urban grit for paid-up Loach aficionados, low-brow blokey ‘laffs’ for mainstream moviegoers – The Angels’ Share had shed its spontaneity. That it means well can hardly be denied. It means so well that well-meaningness is pretty much its defining characteristic. But something’s gone wrong when a would-be cheerful comedy leaves you feeling as if a condescending finger has been wagged in your face. (Hannah McGill) ■ General release from Fri 1 Jun.
DRAMA FREE MEN (12A) 99min ●●●●●
Based on real events, this World War II espionage drama focuses on the largely overlooked cooperation between Arabic immigrants and the French Resistance. Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) plays Younes, a North African worker who finds himself trapped in Paris after the Germans occupy it. Arrested for black-marketeering, Younes is given the choice between prison or spying on a local mosque suspected of passing off Jews as Muslims in order to smuggle them to safety. Eventually the cumulative effect of his spying activities radicalises the formerly apolitical young Algerian.
Like Days of Glory and Outside the Law (Rachid Bouchareb’s recent films about the Algerian contribution to the war effort and the Algerian resistance movement following it), Free Men is a worthy attempt at redressing hitherto disregarded history. Unfortunately, director Ismaël Ferroukhi’s film is let down by a lack of dramatic tension and a protagonist not fleshed out enough to engender the audience’s sympathy. (Miles Fielder) ■ Selected release from Fri 25 May.
APOCALYPSE Archives
Screenwriter of the original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movie and director of new Danish drama A Royal Affair, NIKOLAJ ARCEL, picks five films he’d rescue in the face of the apocalypse
1 Gone With The Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939) ‘Just to show I’m taking the whole apocalypse idea seriously! This film has such a long and complex story, I’ve seen it many times and could still happily watch it over and over again. I probably wouldn’t admit to any of my more full-blooded male friends that I love this film so much but it’s a secret favourite of mine.’ 2 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982) ‘This was, I think, the film that really got me into the idea of making movies. It was a film that had a strong effect on my whole generation, I think I was ten when I first saw it, and I remember I distinctly realised that I was aware of the team behind the film. After seeing E.T., I started making my own films on an 8mm camera.’
3 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Peter Jackson, 2001-2003) ‘Another long film to pass the time until the apocalypse is over. I’m imagining myself in a cellar with lots of time on my hands! These movies aren’t necessarily my all-time favourites, but I do love a big fantasy and adventure story, and I have to admit the magnitude of the storytelling blows me away.’
4 Dogville (Lars von Trier, 2003) ‘I suppose I have to preserve one Danish film for posterity, and I think this is my favourite film by Lars. Having the actors play without any scenery, just chalk lines on the floor, didn’t immediately strike me as a great technical idea, but what really grabbed me about this film was the story, which is great, and the acting, which is phenomenal.’ 5 Trainspotting (Danny Boyle, 1996)
‘This showed another way of making films, a style which I fell into in my late 20s, early 30s. Before that I was much more into Spielberg, but two films in particular, Trainspotting and David Fincher’s Fight Club impressed me with their extremely powerful, personal narratives. It was a great compliment to me that Fincher liked my Dragon Tattoo so much, I just wish he’d wanted to work with me!’ ■ A Royal Affair is on selected release from Fri 15 Jun.
24 May–21 Jun 2012 THE LIST 89