A down to earth film, very true to its Glasgow roots.
Wilbur is a suicidal 30 something, affected by loosing his mother at a young age. His suicide attempts set the scene, and it becomes apparent that they are not truly serious but are in fact his reaction to the possibility, or sad fact, of loosing others in his life whom he depends on.
It is love and responsibility that save him, as when faced with the harsh reality of loosing his brother Harbour, Wilbur is able to cope with the love of Harbour's wife and his role in her life and that of her daughter, and does not need to turn to suicide.
A talented cast, including some identifiable faces, brings home this realistic story. My only grumbles lie in the lack of location detail (but this is only because I come from the city myself, and enjoy seeing it on film. The location range does not actually adversely effect the film beyond that), and perhaps the ambivalent feeling I as a viewer had surrounding the affair between Wilbour and Alice. I like to feel hatred for those who cheat, & I really should have in this case, but all the characters are kept on an even level so it is hard to take sides. In many ways, this could be the aim of the writer, so that the viewer simply takes in the details of these people's lives without having to make decisions.
At any rate, a good film for thinkers.
Wilbur is a suicidal 30 something, affected by loosing his mother at a young age. His suicide attempts set the scene, and it becomes apparent that they are not truly serious but are in fact his reaction to the possibility, or sad fact, of loosing others in his life whom he depends on.
It is love and responsibility that save him, as when faced with the harsh reality of loosing his brother Harbour, Wilbur is able to cope with the love of Harbour's wife and his role in her life and that of her daughter, and does not need to turn to suicide.
A talented cast, including some identifiable faces, brings home this realistic story. My only grumbles lie in the lack of location detail (but this is only because I come from the city myself, and enjoy seeing it on film. The location range does not actually adversely effect the film beyond that), and perhaps the ambivalent feeling I as a viewer had surrounding the affair between Wilbour and Alice. I like to feel hatred for those who cheat, & I really should have in this case, but all the characters are kept on an even level so it is hard to take sides. In many ways, this could be the aim of the writer, so that the viewer simply takes in the details of these people's lives without having to make decisions.
At any rate, a good film for thinkers.