Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Jacobsnemesis There are hints of a good film here, but ultimately it's disappointing and comes nowhere close to the previous efforts of Shane Meadows.Set in London, the film tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two youngsters who are experiencing the city for the first time. Tomo is from the Midlands and his past is unclear, however we can be fairly certain that he's running away from his previous life and has nothing to go back to. Marek is a Polish immigrant, who is living in a flat with his Father.The film lacks any real direction. The acting from the boy who plays Marek is poor at best, and even Thomas Turgoose, who was excellent in This Is England really struggles. In fact the most interesting scenes are those with Marek's Dad. We get a real sense of the love he has for his son, but also his pain at having left his former life behind and bringing up a child on his own.The film is very short, but there are still some scenes which could have been cut shorter or omitted altogether. The wheelchair scene with the French waitress was kind of cute at first, but Meadows really lays it on thick with slow motion scenes of the three characters looking around them at the high rise flats with the predictable indie tune in the background. It all seems rather pointless. The film is not without it's merits. I liked the last sequence, and having the trip to Paris in colour was a nice touch (the rest of the film is in black and white). I liked the contrast of this scene to the rest of the film, but of course I think we can all come to the conclusion that the Paris scene never really happened and is just happening in the imaginations of the two young boys, hence why it is in colour as opposed to the rest of the film.Altogether, not a great film and not one I'll be rushing to re-watch. If you've seen any of Shane Meadows other work, maybe check Somers Town out just to see how it stacks up, but I think you'll be left disappointed.

politically_incorrect204 I am an American but I like all kinds of film. I only bring this out because I can't as well relate or know all of the little social ques in this film quite as someone from the UK. Regardless I liked it a lot. It wasn't deep. It wasn't complicated. But thats what made it nice and charming. A simple story about two kids who are unlikely friends. They bond over the simple things, like a girl, and become quite close. While the film I would say was a bit idealistic and whimsical that's what made it enjoyable. It truly felt like a small little piece of escapism cinema. A realistic story and characters but just with a nice charm and sweetness you don't see in film too often. This just goes to show a film can be enjoyable without being "real" per se where there's all kinds of suffering and turmoil in addition the joyous times. I recommend this to anyone who just wants a nice one hour uplifting film. Although I do feel they could've made it a bit longer but oh well.

bob the moo The English press have perhaps been a bit too kind to this film because I came to it with lots of glowing and very positive reviews in my ears. This is understandable given the way it was made and, more importantly, that it was made by British director Shane Meadows, in yet another different entry in his resume. Following the success of This is England, Meadows has come south for a small story about a minor friendship between two young men who finds themselves in need of one another to some extent. Tomo has left Nottingham and found himself with nowhere to go in London and is robbed his first night in town. Marek is an immigrant who lives in a basic flat with his father but spends the majority of his time alone. The two meet in a café where Marek is fixated on the pretty French waitress and, after initial conflict, a uneasy friendship develops.The film is comparatively quite short but accordingly it is also a very slight affair, with a very basic plot in place that is secondary to the general air of the film and the exploration of the world they find themselves in. I can understand why this would put many off because for the majority of the film (if not all the film) it can feel like "nothing" is happening – mainly because it isn't. The film relies a lot on the feel of it and our interest in the two boys and I think it almost relies on this too much without giving us a lot of reason to care narrative-wise. That said though, the easy chemistry that develops between the two boys is quite affecting and their relative naivety and desire for a woman out of their reach does ring true as part of a growing up process. The fact that the bigger picture of these two lives is largely left in the background is a bit of a problem but then it is hard to see how all that could have been brought in with the budget and time constraints.Meadows directs the film well though and should be commended for staying in smaller British films that he wants to make. The hand-held style here takes a minute to get used to but with his camera and his script he is kind to the characters – not blind to who they are but not judgemental visually or thematically. He gets very good performances as well. Turgoose doesn't quite impress as he did when he had stronger material but his is still an affecting turn. Better though is Jagiello, who is wonderfully shy and interesting as a delivered character. Lasowski may have a tiny part but her light, Gaelic sexiness is perfect for the type of character she has to play within the film. Czop is convincing and I also enjoyed Benson's small-time wheeler/dealer.Overall Somers Town is not that great a film and it will not show up amongst the best works from Meadows but it is not without its appeal. The plot is simple and doesn't go anywhere or real import but the film works in the realism and warmth of the two main characters and their small interactions. Not as brilliant as some would have you believe but a perfectly fine little film with a simple agenda.

Robert_Woodward Shane Meadows' new release, Somers Town, has received mixed reviews in the British press. The film has received criticism for its source of funding, having been developed with the funding of Eurostar from a promotional short to a fully-fledged feature. But beyond this, Somers Town has been criticised for being short, inconclusive and too whimsical in handling its grim subject matter. I would contend that although the style of Meadows sits rather awkwardly with the involvement of Eurostar, the film itself is a triumph: funny, intelligent and poignant.Set in an area of inner city London near the construction site of the new Eurostar train terminal, the film follows the fortunes of two young boys from troubled backgrounds. Tomo, played by Thomas Thurgoose, arrives in London on a train from Nottingham, having run away from home. He never lets on about where he came from, and when asked he says that there is 'nothing' there. When Tomo reaches London he is soon set upon by a gang of youths. The camera moves uncomfortably close to Tomo and the bullying youths and the subsequent chase and beating set a dark undertone for the rest of the film. Thurgoose is superb in this lead role, cheeky, rude even, but charming and disarming – a far cry from the youths who attack him in the film's opening.Tomo crosses paths with Marek (played by Piotr Jagiello), a young Polish immigrant living with his father, Marius. Marius is working long hours on the building site of the future Eurostar terminal and Marek is listless in his absence, roving the streets of London with his camera until he bumps into the disruptive Tomo. The two boys, though from very different backgrounds, are essentially rootless, and soon become friends. Together they vie for the attention of Maria, the beautiful waitress working in a local café, leading to some of the happiest scenes in the film. They also help out budding salesman Graham, a slightly absurd and very amusing Del Boy character.The dialogue amongst the characters in Somers Town is excellent, often hilarious but at times sad and moving. Thurgoose delivers his lines with a sharp wit and the film is at its funniest when the two boys compete for the affection of Maria. The darker scenes in the film, including the attack on Tomo and the falling-out between Marek and Marius, are believably portrayed and equally engaging. Where the dialogue flags is where the new Eurostar terminal – and the accompanying ideas of travel and escape – work their way into the story. It is difficult to disregard the source of funding for the film and it is at these points in the film that there is a vague whiff of product placement.Nevertheless, it seems that Shane Meadows has used the creative licence afforded to him to re-work the original short film idea into a distinctive work. Although his film runs to only 75 minutes it does not feel insubstantial or inconclusive – quite the contrary. The wistful, poignant ending throws light on the preceding film and affirms the themes of rootlessness, despair and dreams of escape.With the wealth of Hollywood blockbusters and fine foreign-language films being produced this year it has been easy to overlook the films emerging closer to home, but this superb film has made me sit up and look for more British cinema.