Nil By Mouth
0.5/4
Starring: Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles, Laila Morse, Jamie Foreman, Edna Dore
Rated R for Graphic Drug Use, Non-Stop Strong Language, Brutal Domestic Violence and Some Nudity
I have nothing but the utmost respect for Gary Oldman. One of Britain's most versatile actors, Oldman has given some truly remarkable performances. Although he is most famous for his role as Commissioner Gordon in Nolan's Batman trilogy (which I don't think is his best performance), he has also played hissably evil villains like Ivan Korushnov in "Air Force One" and Senator Shelly Runyon in "The Contender" (where he was so good that it was impossible to believe that it was him).
Which is why it pains me to say that his writing and directing debut, "Nil By Mouth," a film that is at least partly autobiographical, is awful. There is no beating around the bush. It's an atrocity. Almost nothing works, and much of it is borderline unwatchable.
The film details the lives of a few people in a poor part of London. Ray (Winstone) is an alcoholic who is prone to sudden violence against his wife Valerie (Burke). His brother-in-law, Billy (Creed-Miles) is a heroin addict who's constantly in danger. Also in the mix is Billy's mother, Janet (Morse).
There's not much of a story here. Frankly, there's really not much of anything. The characters simply exist. I think Oldman is trying to tell a slice-of-life story here, but the characters are paper thin. Even after spending two hours with them, I knew nothing about anyone in this film. As such, I found it impossible to care about them or what happens to them.
It's not for a lack of trying on the actor's part. They give it their all, especially the leads Winstone and Burke, but it's all for naught. The writing (which features 522 uses of the word "fuck," more than any film other than the documentary about the word) is bland and Oldman isn't able to develop them into real people. The editing is also awful; many crucial scenes happen off screen, and far too many scenes go on for much longer than necessary (Ray's drunken rant in front of a mirror is a case in point).
I thought it would be impossible to create a movie about alcoholism and domestic violence that would be so dull. Both are as terrifying as they are prevalent, and yet through a seemingly unending list of miscalculations, Oldman has done it. For those who want a truly riveting look at these issues, rent "Once Were Warriors" instead.
Starring: Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles, Laila Morse, Jamie Foreman, Edna Dore
Rated R for Graphic Drug Use, Non-Stop Strong Language, Brutal Domestic Violence and Some Nudity
I have nothing but the utmost respect for Gary Oldman. One of Britain's most versatile actors, Oldman has given some truly remarkable performances. Although he is most famous for his role as Commissioner Gordon in Nolan's Batman trilogy (which I don't think is his best performance), he has also played hissably evil villains like Ivan Korushnov in "Air Force One" and Senator Shelly Runyon in "The Contender" (where he was so good that it was impossible to believe that it was him).
Which is why it pains me to say that his writing and directing debut, "Nil By Mouth," a film that is at least partly autobiographical, is awful. There is no beating around the bush. It's an atrocity. Almost nothing works, and much of it is borderline unwatchable.
The film details the lives of a few people in a poor part of London. Ray (Winstone) is an alcoholic who is prone to sudden violence against his wife Valerie (Burke). His brother-in-law, Billy (Creed-Miles) is a heroin addict who's constantly in danger. Also in the mix is Billy's mother, Janet (Morse).
There's not much of a story here. Frankly, there's really not much of anything. The characters simply exist. I think Oldman is trying to tell a slice-of-life story here, but the characters are paper thin. Even after spending two hours with them, I knew nothing about anyone in this film. As such, I found it impossible to care about them or what happens to them.
It's not for a lack of trying on the actor's part. They give it their all, especially the leads Winstone and Burke, but it's all for naught. The writing (which features 522 uses of the word "fuck," more than any film other than the documentary about the word) is bland and Oldman isn't able to develop them into real people. The editing is also awful; many crucial scenes happen off screen, and far too many scenes go on for much longer than necessary (Ray's drunken rant in front of a mirror is a case in point).
I thought it would be impossible to create a movie about alcoholism and domestic violence that would be so dull. Both are as terrifying as they are prevalent, and yet through a seemingly unending list of miscalculations, Oldman has done it. For those who want a truly riveting look at these issues, rent "Once Were Warriors" instead.
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