The Lawless Heart

Rating:
Summary: If you have a multi-reiongal DVD, get the British version
Review: The British version of this DVD comes not only with directors' commentary, but with deleted scenes that are also accompanied by commentary. Why First Look produced such a bare bones DVD when a much more complete one is available is beyond me. If you have a DVD player than can play PAL region 2 DVD's, then you'll want to get this movie elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: An understated film with terrific ensemble acting . . .
Review: This is a lovely, touching film about human relationships set in a small English town, where the death of a man sets in motion a number of unpredictable changes in the lives of the man's intimates as well as complete strangers. The plot and characters are actually poorly described in the promotional copy reproduced above in the Editorial Reviews. And certainly the cover photo misrepresents the film entirely. It's not about sexy-looking women taking off their clothes.

The film is really three inter-related stories, each told with a different central character - a brother-in-law of the dead man, a best friend who's returned home after many years, and the dead man's gay lover. Unlike "Rashomon," the stories don't contradict each other. Each, being from another point of view, emphasizes and reveals different things, and they overlap only every now and then. Besides the point that everyone is a walk-on in someone else's life, the film reminds us that what we know about other people is only what's visible, which is limited, but being at the center of their lives doesn't necessarily provide them with privileged insight. All three men, in one way or another, "don't have a clue," as one of them admits.

I loved this film. You sense that it could easily unfold in a multitude of directions, if we could only follow all the characters. Some clever use of props, like a coconut and a silk scarf, weave through a couple of the stories, gradually taking on a significance of their own. But for the characters there is far more ambiguity, which is reflected in the final scene, as they watch a home movie, and we watch their faces, quietly reflecting emotions unknown to each other and that we can only guess.



Rating:
Summary: The Pinch of Death, Inheritance, and Life Afterwards
Review: What better location for a story about the intermingled lives of folk who know each other's every move than on the Isle of Man, a flat and lonely appearing extension of the world populated by some very strange but perfectly wonderful characters for this story!

This small town tale written and directed by Tom Hunsinger and Neil Hunter is anything but simple: through kinky flashbacks and flash forwards we see the views of three men responding to the drowning death and funeral of a gay man named Stuart who had been owner of the local restaurant with his lover Nick. Each of the characters is introduced in the opening funeral sequence and just when you think you know them, the vantage changes and previously viewed scenes are further developed from someone else's view.

The deceased Stuart (David Coffey) is survived by his lover Nick (Tom Hollander), his long lost slightly crazy friend Tim (Douglas Henshall) who just happens to surface for the funeral, his sister Judy (Ellie Haddington) who must sort out the small inheritance left by Stuart's will-less death, Judy's husband Dan (Bill Nighy) who tries to make sense of it all while facing temptations of his own, and a crew of odd blokes that weave in and out of the picture like super scene decor. The ultimate point is how to assign the small amount of money from Stuart's 'estate' and the way that happens ties the story together.

At times confusing in format presentation (we are never wholly certain the exact identity of anyone - it all depends on the current perspective!) - this little film is so beautifully acted and directed and written that what we are left with is a thoroughly entertaining and informative story that addresses many social issues with out being preachy. It is a film about loss, death, the financial sequelae of passing, and the ultimate importance of knowing how to live with fellow human beings. I would imagine that after repeated viewings the techniques of telling this wonderful little story would only make this film grow in stature. A small movie to treasure. Grady Harp, December 2004