Cinema Review - Pride

Following in the footsteps of its closest contemporaries, Billy Elliot and Brassed Off, Pride tackles the miner's strikes of the 1980s from a unique perspective, focusing on a group of newly formed activists based in London (LGSM - Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners) who are keen to join forces with the miners - another minority group persecuted by the government - to fight their shared enemies in Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative party. Told for the most part through the story arc of Joe, a young adult yet to come out to his family, we are gradually introduced to a colourful cast of characters from all walks of life when he ventures out into the gay community for the first time and becomes involved in the formation of LGSM.

Aiming to raise both awareness for the miners and money to provide for them during this difficult time, LGSM find it nigh on impossible to locate a group who would be willing to accept their support until a chance phone call sees them paired with a small village in the heart of Wales. At first they are greeted with near hostility from the miners, with their presence in the local community clearly being unwelcome despite the group's best intentions. Thankfully though, the liberal nature of a few key members of the village gradually brings about their acceptance, and it is not long before almost all of the villagers are backing the support of their generous and selfless guests, kick-starting a campaign that would eventually go on to change the lives of everyone involved.

A brilliant British cast including such acting luminaries as Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Paddy Considine (alongside a number of relative newcomers including the awe-inspiring Ben Schnetzer as the ring-leader of LGSM - Mike) give such irresistibly heartfelt performances that are likely to move even the most cynical of viewers. Empathising with their various predicaments comes naturally, and there are times when you will be fighting back the tears, particularly with a subplot about the outbreak of HIV+ that touches briefly on issues raised in the award-winning Dallas Buyers Club. It is refreshing to see that Pride doesn't skirt around these scenarios but balances them brilliantly with enough humour to counteract any impending heartbreak, with a number of scenes that are guaranteed to induce raucous laughter from the entire audience, just when the story has you on the verge of breaking into tears.

Whilst it is Joe (George MacKay) who offers an outsiders perspective for any audiences new to the history surrounding the miner's strikes, it is his mentor of sorts Mike who steals the show with his cocky but charismatic persona that inspires and charms in equal measures. Schnetzer's assured performance will undoubtedly thrust him into the spotlight, and could very well earn him a number of accolades come awards season, with MacKay's understated rendition acting as the perfect juxtaposition to the more flamboyant amongst the cast. These captivating performances add gravitas to the miners putting aside their initial prejudices; with such a passionate young group of people willing to put themselves on the line for complete strangers, it is easy to see why they succumb to the offer to forge a new friendship.

Director Matthew Warchus doesn't just tell an incredible true story but regales it with such overwhelming passion for the era that those who were there at the time will instantly be transported back to the unforgiving years of Thatcher's rule, which is certainly helped by the inclusion of a stirring punk rock soundtrack that embodies the circumstances prevalent at the time. This attention to detail and impressive authenticity will enable even those born after the 1980's to feel like they are part of the struggle, united by the vibrant energy of youth, and having the power to change the world for the better.

As hard hitting as This is England but more restrained in its depiction of prejudice against minority groups, Pride doesn't shy away from the difficult issues but demonstrates them in such a way as to not alienate viewers of a more sensitive nature. That Pride is a true story just adds to the poignancy of its exceptionally well-written screenplay, with certain emotional notes possessing a resonance rarely seen on the big screen, and it is a credit to both writer (Stephen Beresford) and director (Matthew Warchus) who manage to deliver a film that is likely to completely surpass all expectations.

Stirring, inspirational and ultimately life-affirming, Pride certainly deserves all of the praise that is being heaped upon it as it is, without a doubt, a firm contender for the best British film of the year. The only downside is that with a runtime of two hours it isn't long enough - that's right, I just didn't want such a wonderful film to end.

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New Release - Tyrannosaur Feat. Q & A with Paddy Considine

Ever since his debut appearance in Shane Meadow's cult classic A Room for Romeo Brass back in 1999, Paddy Considine has provided us with a diverse range of characters in low budget wonders as well as appearing in a number of Hollywood productions. His acting ability seems to know no limits and it was with great anticipation that I awaited the opening credits of his feature length directorial debut Tyrannosaur, blissfully unaware of the gritty realism and brutality that was about to unfold before my eyes.

It was interesting to see that Brian Cox was also in the audience, it is clear that this actor turned director is respected not just by his audience but also by his peers. When the lights went down in the packed cinema a stark silence fell on the audience, the anticipation was enormous, and I was hoping that Tyrannosaur would live up to its name.

After the success of his BAFTA award winning short film Dog Altogether, Paddy decided to revisit the characters he first introduced to us back in 2007 to take an in depth look at their lives. For those unfortunate enough to have missed this short, it follows the path of an unhinged man, Joseph, and his encounter with a religious charity shop worker, Hannah, who will seemingly stop at nothing to help him. This scenario is revisited in Tyrannosaur and it is great to see that Considine stuck with the same actors, with both Peter Mullen and Olivia Colman putting in exceptional performances which are only enhanced by the inclusion of Eddie Marsan as Hannah's violent husband.

Comparisons to Shane Meadows work are inevitable but Tyrannosaur is an altogether different beast, with lashes of dark humour and depraved acts that would not be out of place in a Peckinpah film. It is incredible how Paddy manages to create a feeling of empathy towards Joseph, he is a violent brute with little or no concern for those around him but somehow also strangely likeable. His relationship with Hannah is the key to this as we see rare glimpses of affection which indicate a human side to him, even though we are well aware that deep inside there is a monster lurking.

Joseph is not the only one prone to violent outbursts, with Hannah's husband even more twisted and abhorrent. From the offset it is clear that there will be an inevitable confrontation between these two characters and the build up to this climax is outstanding. The supporting cast do a fantastic job of grounding the story, with a gripping subplot involving a young child and his suffering at the hands of his mother's cruel boyfriend.

For a debut film this leaves one hell of an impression whilst asserting Considine's position as a Director to watch out for. In my eyes it is the third great British debut of the year, following on from Richard Ayoade's Submarine and Joe Cornish's Attack The Block, and it gives me faith that our nation can compete with Hollywood when it comes to one of the most important aspect of film-making, the art of storytelling.

Paddy was gracious enough to appear at the preview screening I attended for a Q & A session following his film and the rapturous applause spoke for itself. I have encountered him twice before at gigs where he played with his brilliant band Riding the Low and he always comes across as a charismatic, down to earth guy with a genuine passion for his art whether it be acting, singing or directing.

It wasn't long before he mentioned his pal Shane Meadows, and not long after this Paddy's phone went off; "It's Shane telling me I better watch what I say about him" he retorted, reading his text message. It's off the cuff comments like this that make it so easy to warm to the man, and it was not long before we were all putty in his hands, listening to his fascinating anecdotes and eager to press him for as much information as we could in the time allotted.

My highlight of the session was Paddy's retort about filming on location; "You can't film Inception down Leeds fucking high street", and he went on to mention how the way a man came past walking his dog provided the idea for one of the key scenes in the film. In another scene shot in a pub, I was astounded to learn that the guitarist was given the part in order to stop him from pestering the crew. The song he created fitted perfectly with the mood of the film indicating that Paddy is unafraid to take risks with his film-making in order to provide us with the aspect of realism that echoes throughout Tyrannosaur.

One of the highlights of British cinema this year, Tyrannosaur is an outstanding debut with powerful performances that should not be missed. Fans of Considine will certainly be impressed by his decision to move behind the camera and those new to his work will be dumbstruck by the sheer brilliance of what could well be one of the next great British directors.

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