Botton in Yorkshire is a small village that is home to about 250 people. 135 of these have special needs due to various mental illnesses and the other hundred or so are "co-workers" who act as carers to the others. The village has about 30 homes, several farms and workshops where work is carried out at a relaxed pace. Although many social workers believe that isolation is not the answer for the mentally ill, the community is generally a success. This films charts daily life in the village and follows one man, Barry, as he tries to leave and set up for himself.
With a narration that is a bit on the heavy side, a voice behind the camera that is insensitive and a title that was, to say the least, a bad choice, things didn't bode well for this film. And all three of these things are problems but, luckily the subject managed to shine through in spite of (rather than thanks to) the delivery. The community is interesting and it would have been nice if the film had really had a point or something to say. It is slightly moving to watch the people but I never felt like I was doing more than watching indeed at one stage (when the camera questions a man who stares blankly back) I felt like I was intruding into the lives of people who were socially insecure at the best of times. It feels like the makers had the idea to film in Botton before they had thought why they were doing it. They sort of follow Barry and a few other specific people but the abrupt way the film ends tells you that this wasn't planned out. Other than following the people, the film doesn't seem to have any insight to give or point to make and it did just feel like a point and shoot exercise.
The general delivery is poor. Compare it to "Make Me Normal" a similar documentary about an all-autistic school, that was much better than this and was structured much more usefully. Here they are insensitive and obtrusive and, where Make Me Normal felt like it didn't want to film some of the more distressing suffering, this film is full of fights, arguments and so on getting to understand the community or the individuals is a distant second.
Overall this is worth seeing if only because it is an interesting village. However the fact that the makers see it as "strange" should ring alarm bells; this is not the film to come to for insight or well structured investigation. Instead we have a rough direction punctuated by fights and arguments that they can't seem to get enough of filming. It is a shame because, in more able hands, this might have been as good as the odd moment suggested it could have been.
With a narration that is a bit on the heavy side, a voice behind the camera that is insensitive and a title that was, to say the least, a bad choice, things didn't bode well for this film. And all three of these things are problems but, luckily the subject managed to shine through in spite of (rather than thanks to) the delivery. The community is interesting and it would have been nice if the film had really had a point or something to say. It is slightly moving to watch the people but I never felt like I was doing more than watching indeed at one stage (when the camera questions a man who stares blankly back) I felt like I was intruding into the lives of people who were socially insecure at the best of times. It feels like the makers had the idea to film in Botton before they had thought why they were doing it. They sort of follow Barry and a few other specific people but the abrupt way the film ends tells you that this wasn't planned out. Other than following the people, the film doesn't seem to have any insight to give or point to make and it did just feel like a point and shoot exercise.
The general delivery is poor. Compare it to "Make Me Normal" a similar documentary about an all-autistic school, that was much better than this and was structured much more usefully. Here they are insensitive and obtrusive and, where Make Me Normal felt like it didn't want to film some of the more distressing suffering, this film is full of fights, arguments and so on getting to understand the community or the individuals is a distant second.
Overall this is worth seeing if only because it is an interesting village. However the fact that the makers see it as "strange" should ring alarm bells; this is not the film to come to for insight or well structured investigation. Instead we have a rough direction punctuated by fights and arguments that they can't seem to get enough of filming. It is a shame because, in more able hands, this might have been as good as the odd moment suggested it could have been.
