robert23-1 I completely disagree with the "negative reviews" but totally agree with the current rating. Although this movie was made 17 years' ago, I came across it on a Gay Movies site and I'm glad I did. If it weren't for the outstanding performance of Ben Whishaw(Tom), this movie would not have succeeded as it portrayed the sexual abuses experienced by young persons which continue to exist, sadly, today! The performance of the female lead was commendable, but it is Whishaw's performance that keeps you focused the entire time. Whishaw, with 8 wins, including Best Actor(MBT) from the 2001 Sochi(Russia) International Film Festival and Most Promising Newcomer (MBT) from the 2001 British Independent Film Award, and 15 nominations is worth watching in any movie he is in. He makes other actors better because of his performance. I have seen Whishaw in other movies and I'm glad I found him in this one. It's no wonder his career has taken off as evidenced by the filmography which includes current pre & post production. Children are so vulnerable to sexual predators and parents & children should watch this movie!! Congrats Ben & Jenna!!

Cedric_Catsuits Much as I tried to like this film because it deals with a serious subject, the fact is this is just drivel. The ramblings of an egotistical, bored, probably middle-class, twit striving to create art out of their impotent, insignificant, scrambled thoughts.Frankly it takes a serious, sensitive and important subject matter and turns it into something resembling a drug-fuelled, devil-worshipping orgy of incest, rape and paedophilia, with no artistic merit and no inkling of understanding the issues it so freakishly misrepresents.Bravo to the young actors for making a go of it, but the adults responsible for dishing up this repulsive and voyeuristic exhibition of perverted fantasies ought to be locked away for all eternity. They have created a film that fails to inform, educate or inspire debate. All of which leaves me wondering if this is meant to entertain in some way: if so, then it really is an exercise in bad taste.

neil_mc The way it is haphazardly edited, the poor quality of the sound and the general disturbed nature of the plot and it's character's, all suggest that Dom Rotheroe has been watching too much of Lars von Trier at al.We begin with 15 minutes of absolutely nothing - walking to and from school, little dialogue, little plot development apart from a hedgehog and the odd jump from a tree. But this laboured pacing sets us up for the almost 'mentioned-in-passing' rape of a young schoolgirl by her teacher. In her own bedroom. With her mother downstairs in the living room. We know from here that what we are watching is pretty serious stuff.With an air of 'Heavenly Creatures', the two kids become almost inseparable, stripping off but doing little more than feeling each other and banging foreheads - we are shown an extremely intense relationship between two seriously messed up children.I thought I recognised the girl who played Jessica from somewhere else, but looking at her bio there is nothing on there that rings a bell. She puts in an impressive performance which she'll probably never match, and one which I'm sure she'd be disappointed has only been witnessed by a small number.On the whole, the film was very engaging and very hard-hitting - but the biggest compliment I can give, is that I'm pretty sure Mr von Trier would have loved it.

djderm Cheap and manipulative. This film has no heart.It's also got dire dialogue, unconvincing characters and a preposterous, or rather non-existent, story. It just lurches from bad to worse in a cynical effort to wrench some kind of emotion from an insincere and unengaging hysterion-afest!And the HEDGEHOG!!!!How many cheap shots can a film take? The hedgehog, by the way, gave the most convincing and watchable performance in this ninety-minute cringe-athon.If you have considered watching this film, don't. I'm sorry but I cannot find a single redeeming feature to this movie. It scores a big, fat ZERO with me. Strictly for sub-Dogma knicker-wetters. Yawneroony!Still, if you liked Dancing In The Dark...