Neds
Dir: Peter Mullan
2011
*****
Peter Mullan does Ken Loach with a hint of directional influence from Kubrick and Peckinpah. Sounds good doesn't it, well luckily it is. Nick Love and the people responsible for the Kidulthood films and their ilk please take note, I would even suggest that this is better than Made in England in many respects. It is bound to resemble Made in England/Made in Britain/Scum among others but it seems a little less affectionate, less attached. Don't get me wrong, Scum isn't a love story but the phrase 'I'm the daddy now' has been uttered more than once since its release. At times, I was reminded more of films such as Taxi Driver and Kes, but I digress. Mullan really does show the pointlessness and also the repetitive cycle of violence between estates and he does so in his own no nonsense style, and yet, he also goes completely nuts with it too. At times you wonder if you're watching the same film as it gets pretty surreal at times but it is all the better for it. I thought the end scene was awesome, a perfect finish to a wayward journey, totally original but with rich influence, please don't leave it so long between films Mr. Mullan!