Reviews

I can't believe that comparisons have been made between this film and Kes: Ratcatcher has none of the charm of Kes and Lynne Ramsay did not convince me that she understands pre-teenage boys at all. The acting was wooden, there was no plot, no laughs, claustrophobic direction - DULL DULL DULL!

I saw this film at the Edinburgh Film Festival, and would not recommend it. It is two and a half hours long, during which nothing much happens at a wading-through-porridge pace.

The main characters are gormless and totally lacking in charisma or personality. No-one smiles at all during the film (neither would I if I had their lives), and although Domino seems to have a healthy sexual appetite she doesn't seem to enjoy sex at all.

The whole experience is depressing and ponderous, the director lingering over each scene in a way that drove me crazy rather than striking me with the beauty of his technique.

Too many questions were left in my mind: why does he sniff the Algerian man's head? Why does he levitate? What is he looking at over the allotment fence? Why does he kiss Joseph? Why did we go and see this rubbish rather than ordering another bottle of wine in Bouzy Rouge?

Truly awful and pointless film full of skinny, languid people who could barely be bothered opening their mouths to speak. I couldn't hear most of the dialogue and couldn't see most of the action as the whole thing seemed to have been shot on a dismal November day.

Horribly-self indulgent, tedious and dissatisfying. And tell Ally Sheedy to eat something!

A review of this film in the Telegraph asks, "Why do people go to see Ken Loach films?" I would suggest that people go to see Ken Loach films because they're interested in society, interested in how people live, and keen to see films about REAL people i.e. people who aren't rich and beautiful and don't live in charming pieds a terre in Chelsea ... My Name is Joe is at the same time heartwarming and heartbreaking, making you feel good about the characters whilst thanking your lucky stars that you don't live the lives they do. Go and see it with an open mind and a thirst for realism.

If you need cheering up on a cold weekday evening, this is the film for you! Excellent script and perfectly cast actors. I especially loved Ray psyching himself up in front of the mirror before gigs - inspired!