Although not quite an all out advert for Eurostar Shane Meadows new film, Somers Town is not far off. It’s a slight tale of a young runaway Thomo (T. Turgoose) who leaves Nottingham for London and meets and befriends a young Polish lad. Both boys fall for the same French girl and have mischievous fun in the London area of Somers Town. This is inherently a short film idea with the aid of slow motion and whimsical music can feel stretched.
The interplay and banter between the two leads is natural and entertaining, and Perry Benson provides excellent comic relief as the faux-Del boy who exploits the boys for casual labour. There are also some interesting ideas hinted at in the various father/son relationships, however, you get the sense that this film is never really anything more than its various parts. Which makes it all the more grating when you get lines about how great the Eurostar is. When the central characters bang on about the fact ‘it’s only two hours to Paris’, the films dubious backing really comes to the fore. Knowing that the film was funded by Eurostar and the initial concept was for a 30 minute film one can’t help think that this is a tad self indulgent on Meadows part. Plus the saccharine almost fantasy ending really grates on and indeed undoes the realistic charm that precedes it.
Thomas Turgoose, still only 16 shows he’s got great potential as a tragi-comic actor. His turn as Thomo here cements his reputation as a talent to watch.
Turgoose and Benson aside, this can’t help but feeling like a step backwards for Meadows. It’s clear he’s a talent and a bad, commercially centred Meadows is still watchable. Yet I can’t help but feel cheated that the feeling and passion of his previous projects has been put to one side in favour of financial investment.
(Image used is one of the alternative poster designs c/o Allcity Media- to see more of their delightful film posters that might have been you should visit their site!)
Opening Venues
(also a gaggle of Odeons/ Cineworlds and VUEs)
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