Qwerty Norris
Posts: 3143
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: Edinburgh
|
A tough, uncompromising coming of age tale in 70s Glasgow that is enriched of authenticity – which is of no surprise given that it's a Peter Mullan film – and undoubtedly works as a companion-piece to Gillies MaKinnon's 'Small Faces.' Whilst the narrative in itself is well worn and in particular, begins to lose sense of where it wants to go in its final act; there can be no faults in the performances of the predominantly-amateur young cast. Newcomer Conar McCarron perfectly fills the shoes of a bright young lad drawn to the dark side as a result of unacceptability, frustration and pre-judged opinions by the predominantly-intolerable adults represented on screen. His journey, whilst not always fully believable in itself convinces given the nature and subtlety of his performance and one can only hope that the recent act of barbarism by his own father doesn't get in the way of what could be a promising acting career. It's a film with plenty of dialogue (specifically ned banter), yet it's one that tells its story and conveys the characters' emotions through their body language.
Another fine aspect of 'Neds' is its look and feel in the compositions. Dramas verging on the kitchen sink have a tendency to emphasis on the greys and blacks, resulting in frequent colourless affairs – not so here. Mullan and his D.O.P. inject a level of visceral poetry to the screen, using tones of blues and reds to both reflect the mood and provide some visually arresting visuals in the process.
It's difficult to determine how much of an audience outwith Scotland 'Neds' will connect with, but for those willing to give it a chance you'll be hard-pressed to find a better example of a story about the concept of growing up in a challenging environment at the cinema this year - another excellent addition to the back catalogue of Peter Mullan.
4/5
_____________________________
Qwerty's Top 10 of 2013 (so far)
1. Zero Dark Thirty
2. No
3. In The Fog
4. Good Vibrations
5. McCullin
6. Beyond the Hills
7. The Place Beyond the Pines
8. Wreck-it Ralph
9. Shell
10. In The House
|
Printable Version
Neds - 
RE: Ned bad at all me laddy! - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread