SOMERS TOWN FILM REVIEW

Release Date: 22^nd August 2008

Age Certificate: 12A

Running Time: 72 mins

Director: Shane Meadows

Writers: Shane Meadows and Paul Fraser

Stars: Thomas Turgoose, Ireneusz Czop and Elisa Lasowski

Somers Town is a bit of a weird one. Funded by Eurostar and just about scrapes the feature length category. It’s strange before it’s even begun and that doesn’t really change throughout the film; shot in black and white and a very slow, but engaging story, it won’t suit everybody’s taste. But if it’s your kind of film, then you’re in for a treat.  

The film has two main protagonists, a young polish boy, Marek, and a boy from the midlands, Tomo. They spend their time roaming around, whilst trying to earn money from this local ‘geezer’, meanwhile, sharing a fantasy about a French girl, Maria. Marek’s father is a builder, constructing the Eurostar, which plays a crucial role in the film later. Whereas Tomo’s parents are not presented in the film and it is questioned if he actually has any. Perhaps this is why he has nothing to do except to roam around meeting new people and getting used to being an outsider, which is a big theme in the film. Along with being an outsider, parents, growing up and transportation are also main themes. 

The main strength of the film would have to be the style and superb direction. It was a good thing that the film was funded by Eurostar, otherwise it would have never been made and a great British director wouldn’t have been able to continue to show us his great talent and flare. His previous film, This is England, was another great British flick, which defiantly dissevered the BAFTA’s Best British Film. Anyway, steering back to the subject in hand, the black and white effect contributes to the overall feel of the film. Perhaps Meadows, was trying to show the nitty gritty feel of Somers Town, or is trying to show that the two boys are not content about where they are and their way of life. This is probably the most likely answer, as the film turns to colour, and shot with a super 8 effect, when they are happy about where they are and who they are with at the end of the film. Furthermore, some of the shots in this film are sublime, partly because I live in England and it is weird to see somebody else’s perspective. The simplicity in a few of the shots do the most for me. Maybe some of the big Hollywood films need to take note. 

The acting in the film is okay in places and in others; one place in particular, is magnificent. That one place is from Thomas Turgoose, engaging, funny and just overall a terrific child actor. I hope that he grows to be more than a child actor, this usually isn’t the case but I believe he is heading for bigger things. The other actors get the job done but are not as wonderful as I would have liked. But that’s me just being picky.

The script, bought to us by Paul Fraser, is funny and well-crafted. Also plenty of space for improvisation, which helps us to view Turgooses’s obvious talents, one of which is keeping a straight face while wearing women’s clothes. 

Some will look at the slow pace as a downside, whereas others would say it was set at a terrific speed, just enough for the audience to build a bond with these two boys. I personally, was somewhere in the middle, I wasn’t yearning for a blockbuster feel but I wasn’t overly blown away with the lack of story line. The film didn’t really seem to take off. It just seemed to plod along at a comfortable pace, not in a hurry but doesn’t want to be late. There wasn’t really anything where the boys had an epiphany that they needed to urgently change their lives. I think it just needed slight encouragement to pick up the pace, defiantly not a kick up the backside. 

Luckily, the involvement of the Eurostar isn’t a downside of the film. Thank God it’s not plastered with billboards and stickers promoting the fact that they funded the film. In hind sight, I don’t remember the word Eurostar actually being mentioned. There isn’t really anything else I can say about this matter. 

If I was picking at straws, I would say Meadows intention was to state that it could be tough living in London, but you will always find a companion and it will always lead you to somewhere good. If you want my honest opinion, I don’t think that he wanted to say anything worth talking about; the film was all about character building, rather than a rational overall meaning to the motion picture. 

I would defiantly recommend Somers Town, for its style, great acting by Turgoose, its laughs and great character building. However, it’s slow pace needs a little improvement or an added defining moment in the film. There’s no doubt that Meadows is one of the leading British directors out there and that shouldn’t be pushed under the carpet. 

7.5/10