amysandman Downloaded a few Brit films to watch for a University Project and this one was easily the best, although Id never heard of it before. Why not????? Its was brilliant. I love it when you discover a gem like this one. Awesome acting by Peter Mullan and the main guy (Bashy) but they were all good. The kid who played Jay was a real talent. hope he's doing other things as he made me cry (wont say how)The boxing was realistic and I really cared about the characters. Great film overall, and I'm surprised I had never heard about it before. Perhaps it never got promoted? I checked the reviews online and they were really good too.I hope other people get to find this film too :)

louisedurdy Caught this on iTunes last night, and wanted to write about it. Was searching for Peter Mullan films I hadn't yet seen (am big fan). Thought this film looked like a "yeah Brov" sort of film, but gave it a go. Glad I did, cos it was a really good film. Not amazing like Peter's own films, but he was great in it (as usual).I did a bit of research after watching the film and I can see how it was biographical. It definitely feels very raw in places. If i had a criticism I'd say it could have done with some quieter moments, as its pretty full-on. But I don't mind that too much. the other actors are good, especially the lead guy, who I hadn't seen before. Overall, I gave it 7/10. its a lot better than most of the Brit films I've seen, and another brilliant performance from my favourite actor.

dan-421-105621 I think Dan Turner can hold his head up high for this film.Clayton Murdoch attempts to build some kind of life for himself in the aftermath of an abusive childhood brought upon him by his unhinged criminal father. He finds a new kind of father figure in coach Gordon Sinclair who, aware of Clayton's troubled youth, tries to guide him back on to the straight & narrow path via the medium of boxing.Before long, a web of petty grievances in local gangland brings trouble to the feet of Clayton's younger siblings. For Clayton, fighting their battles is one thing; yet mounting pressure and rising stakes bring their own problems as the dam of sanity cracks under the weight violent fatherly expectation.The reviews haven't been as kind to this film as I expected. It's not a popcorn movie and it's certainly not an attempt at a UK 'Rocky'.When you're touching on UK gangster culture, two things have to be illustrated in my book for it to be a success. Firstly, the players are locked in to an almost incredulous bubble of isolation, held together by it's own code of silence. Secondly, no matter how trivial and contrived the mini dramas in these bubbles are - the outcomes are of the highest magnitude and felt by the community at large.I thought the story telling delivered these points extremely well.When combined with the mental deterioration of Clayton Murdoch (who I thought was admirably played by Ashley Thomas) then you're sitting on a powder keg as he's goaded directly & indirectly by his murderous father towards perpetuating the cycle of hate.Without spoiling the detail of the ending, the conclusion was satisfying and delivered at the right time with the right amount of weight.And now for the bit's that were harder to deal with.The love interest elements were partly out of place. Clayton was introverted before Alexia arrived on the scene. You would have had more chance blowing a drop of water across a desert with a straw than those two getting in to a deep relationship. Additionally, the dialogue in the second from last scene (funeral) was a touch awkward.The main issues I had with the movie were production related. At times, the sound was poor. In the same scene, we get Jason Maza clear as a bell, yet Ashley Thomas is barely audible. And the lighting just didn't do the job in a number of the scenes - leaving you guessing what the hell was going on. A prime example of this the climactic confrontation between Clayton & Karl. One minute we're seeing credible photography of wind turbine strewn vistas and then we can barely make the pair out as they're brought together for the climax. Is this the cinematography failing to deliver its part of the bargain here? This is a damn shame because the beating heart of this story is a good one. Had these fundamentals been addressed during the production of the movie, I would have given it 8 out of 10.

Tears Carpenter Engaging, well made urban drama with striking strong performances and a powerful central theme, though the dialog a little rubbish occasionally and there are a couple of embarrassingly bad lines its not a bad film if you got nothing to do and your sitting all alone and there is nothing on t.v to watchif walk into the cinema & found just 2 people in the whole theater --- then you know its time to turn around and walk outanyway this kind of film has been made many times just much betterThe film's main problem relates to dynamics: it slips too quickly between quiet bathos and splenetic rage. In one scene where Clayton and Alexia are cooing over one another and rekindling a romantic flame from the past, it only takes one phone call to transport Clayton to point of wanting to stave her face in with a monkey wrench.