Tomo (Turgoose) moves from Nottingham to London in the hope of a new start and befriends Marek (Jagiello), a Polish immigrant who has a crush on Maria (Lasowski) After viewing Shane Meadows impressive drama This is England this 2008 drama sounded very appealing and I am glad to say the same level of drama and sophistication is as present as it was in 2006 and with the same level of issues and entertainment present, this makes engaging viewing, if not as passionate as his previous release.
One of the main reasons Somers Town isn't as strong as the Bafta winner is Thomas Turgoose's protagonist Tomo. Turgoose was exceptionally strong in This is England, bringing that level of vulnerability to a bullied school boy and yet expressing his enjoyment through his actions. Here we see him as an over eager selfish teenager looking to start afresh with new friends. When looking at modern day stereotypes in British cinema you may recall the gangster figure in Kidulthood or the dreamer in My Summer of Love. Here we see almost a mix between the two. Tomo isn't afraid to say what he feels and do what he wants. His language is appalling, his expectancy of everyone comes too easily and he is so irritating the stop button on your remote control will be exceptionally tempting. Turgoose does well to portray the stereotype but all things considered the character is something else in modern society. A dramatic instalment is Tomo but the character development and the way it is handled in the latter part is appreciative and almost heart warming, with a few twists thrown in.
Piotr Jagiello is very impressive as Polish immigrant Marek. Quiet, unassertive and desperate we feel his situation with his father and can take comfort from his desperation for a normal life. Elisa Lasowski is included briefly but makes a startling impression in this dramatic tale of friendship.
Tackling ideologies of friendship and family this film delivers in a way only British cinema can, by taking the issue from its very core and spinning it on a realistic portrayal. Having the film set in black and white makes these concepts feel that extra dramatic and therefore more powerful.
Meadows' direction is tackled very delicately with some artistic soft shots thrown in to appreciate the story in context, including a wonderful montage in the closing stages. The relaxing score further engrosses viewers into the sentimental story.
Whereas this isn't as strong as Meadows' other film, Somers Town takes comfort from a passionate collection of protagonists and thrives on the drama of real life.
One of the main reasons Somers Town isn't as strong as the Bafta winner is Thomas Turgoose's protagonist Tomo. Turgoose was exceptionally strong in This is England, bringing that level of vulnerability to a bullied school boy and yet expressing his enjoyment through his actions. Here we see him as an over eager selfish teenager looking to start afresh with new friends. When looking at modern day stereotypes in British cinema you may recall the gangster figure in Kidulthood or the dreamer in My Summer of Love. Here we see almost a mix between the two. Tomo isn't afraid to say what he feels and do what he wants. His language is appalling, his expectancy of everyone comes too easily and he is so irritating the stop button on your remote control will be exceptionally tempting. Turgoose does well to portray the stereotype but all things considered the character is something else in modern society. A dramatic instalment is Tomo but the character development and the way it is handled in the latter part is appreciative and almost heart warming, with a few twists thrown in.
Piotr Jagiello is very impressive as Polish immigrant Marek. Quiet, unassertive and desperate we feel his situation with his father and can take comfort from his desperation for a normal life. Elisa Lasowski is included briefly but makes a startling impression in this dramatic tale of friendship.
Tackling ideologies of friendship and family this film delivers in a way only British cinema can, by taking the issue from its very core and spinning it on a realistic portrayal. Having the film set in black and white makes these concepts feel that extra dramatic and therefore more powerful.
Meadows' direction is tackled very delicately with some artistic soft shots thrown in to appreciate the story in context, including a wonderful montage in the closing stages. The relaxing score further engrosses viewers into the sentimental story.
Whereas this isn't as strong as Meadows' other film, Somers Town takes comfort from a passionate collection of protagonists and thrives on the drama of real life.