The warnings before this was shown on E4 couldn't have been clearer: this film is near the knuckle.
As I was feeling in a gloomy mood anyway, it seemed the ideal time to finally get round to watching it.
Less than a minute into it and I'm already disgusted. And I don't disgust easily.
What works brilliantly is the way Olivia Colman and Peter Mullan's characters interact and come alive. They may have lives at totally different ends of the social scale but both of their lives are touched by violence and suffering.
Despite Hannah's patient attempts to help Joseph, the aggression that has clearly played a large part in his life is never far below his craggy surface. Her own inner rage flares up too, sometimes towards Joseph but even her abusive wanker of a husband.
Interesting that Hannah's Christian values didn't allow her to forgive Joseph after his harsh words about her personal life.
The irony of the joyously alive-ness of the wake is not lost on me. Very well done.
The ending left me feeling a tad let-down. Without spoiling it, the final consequences seem unfair to me. Yes the characters have shown progression but it was the physical position in which Colman finds herself that I didn't feel was justified.
I also would have preferred if Joseph had 'discussed things' with the dog's owner.
As I was feeling in a gloomy mood anyway, it seemed the ideal time to finally get round to watching it.
Less than a minute into it and I'm already disgusted. And I don't disgust easily.
What works brilliantly is the way Olivia Colman and Peter Mullan's characters interact and come alive. They may have lives at totally different ends of the social scale but both of their lives are touched by violence and suffering.
Despite Hannah's patient attempts to help Joseph, the aggression that has clearly played a large part in his life is never far below his craggy surface. Her own inner rage flares up too, sometimes towards Joseph but even her abusive wanker of a husband.
Interesting that Hannah's Christian values didn't allow her to forgive Joseph after his harsh words about her personal life.
The irony of the joyously alive-ness of the wake is not lost on me. Very well done.
The ending left me feeling a tad let-down. Without spoiling it, the final consequences seem unfair to me. Yes the characters have shown progression but it was the physical position in which Colman finds herself that I didn't feel was justified.
I also would have preferred if Joseph had 'discussed things' with the dog's owner.