Mike Leigh is on record saying this film is slow. He is right.
This film is set and was at least partly filmed on location in the suburb of my upbringing - Streatham, in South London. In fact, I passed much of the tedious time looking out for myself in my cub scouts uniform during the external shots. (No luck).
I am a great fan of Mike Leigh and thank goodness he improved after this movie, but this is just too slow, torture in fact. In particular, the characters are all so shy and/or unable to express their feelings, the film is unable to go anywhere at all. So it doesn't.
At least the film is not in breach of the Trade Descriptions Act. It has its moments but they are all too few and my gosh they're bleak.
This film is set and was at least partly filmed on location in the suburb of my upbringing - Streatham, in South London. In fact, I passed much of the tedious time looking out for myself in my cub scouts uniform during the external shots. (No luck).
I am a great fan of Mike Leigh and thank goodness he improved after this movie, but this is just too slow, torture in fact. In particular, the characters are all so shy and/or unable to express their feelings, the film is unable to go anywhere at all. So it doesn't.
At least the film is not in breach of the Trade Descriptions Act. It has its moments but they are all too few and my gosh they're bleak.