The Lawless Heart
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Movie Reviews of The Lawless Heart
Movie Review: The Pinch of Death, Inheritance, and Life Afterwards
Summary: 5 Stars
What better location for a story about the intermingled lives of folk who know each other's every move than on the Isle of Man, a flat and lonely appearing extension of the world populated by some very strange but perfectly wonderful characters for this story!
This small town tale written and directed by Tom Hunsinger and Neil Hunter is anything but simple: through kinky flashbacks and flash forwards we see the views of three men responding to the drowning death and funeral of a gay man named Stuart who had been owner of the local restaurant with his lover Nick. Each of the characters is introduced in the opening funeral sequence and just when you think you know them, the vantage changes and previously viewed scenes are further developed from someone else's view.
The deceased Stuart (David Coffey) is survived by his lover Nick (Tom Hollander), his long lost slightly crazy friend Tim (Douglas Henshall) who just happens to surface for the funeral, his sister Judy (Ellie Haddington) who must sort out the small inheritance left by Stuart's will-less death, Judy's husband Dan (Bill Nighy) who tries to make sense of it all while facing temptations of his own, and a crew of odd blokes that weave in and out of the picture like super scene decor. The ultimate point is how to assign the small amount of money from Stuart's 'estate' and the way that happens ties the story together.
At times confusing in format presentation (we are never wholly certain the exact identity of anyone - it all depends on the current perspective!) - this little film is so beautifully acted and directed and written that what we are left with is a thoroughly entertaining and informative story that addresses many social issues with out being preachy. It is a film about loss, death, the financial sequelae of passing, and the ultimate importance of knowing how to live with fellow human beings. I would imagine that after repeated viewings the techniques of telling this wonderful little story would only make this film grow in stature. A small movie to treasure. Grady Harp, December 2004
Movie Review: An understated film with terrific ensemble acting . . .
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a lovely, touching film about human relationships set in a small English town, where the death of a man sets in motion a number of unpredictable changes in the lives of the man's intimates as well as complete strangers. The plot and characters are actually poorly described in the promotional copy reproduced above in the Editorial Reviews. And certainly the cover photo misrepresents the film entirely. It's not about sexy-looking women taking off their clothes.
The film is really three inter-related stories, each told with a different central character - a brother-in-law of the dead man, a best friend who's returned home after many years, and the dead man's gay lover. Unlike "Rashomon," the stories don't contradict each other. Each, being from another point of view, emphasizes and reveals different things, and they overlap only every now and then. Besides the point that everyone is a walk-on in someone else's life, the film reminds us that what we know about other people is only what's visible, which is limited, but being at the center of their lives doesn't necessarily provide them with privileged insight. All three men, in one way or another, "don't have a clue," as one of them admits.
I loved this film. You sense that it could easily unfold in a multitude of directions, if we could only follow all the characters. Some clever use of props, like a coconut and a silk scarf, weave through a couple of the stories, gradually taking on a significance of their own. But for the characters there is far more ambiguity, which is reflected in the final scene, as they watch a home movie, and we watch their faces, quietly reflecting emotions unknown to each other and that we can only guess.
Movie Review: arresting drama
Summary: 3 Stars
***1/2 "Lawless Heart" feels a bit like a confused mess at the start - until you realize that it is telling the same story from the perspective of three different characters. When the elements begin to fall into place, the film becomes a touching human drama about exactly what the title implies - the inability to make the heart do what one wants it to do.Written and directed by Tom Hunsinger and Neil Hunter, the film begins at the funeral of a gay man named Stuart who drowned a few days earlier in a boating accident. The story focuses on three of the people closest to him: Nick, Stuart's lover; Dan, Stuart's brother-in-law; and Tim, an old friend of Stuart's who's been off trying to make a success of himself and not doing a very good job of it. Rather than relate the tale in a straightforward, linear fashion, the filmmakers have chosen to employ a multi-level narrative structure, showing us events first from the perspective of one character, then backing up time and showing us them again from the perspective of another. Although the technique is often more distracting and gimmicky than illuminating, the film ultimately becomes a moving study of loss, jealousy, confusion and passion, with each of the film's many characters (not just the three listed) making a memorable mark on our hearts. The movie is helped immeasurably by its highly gifted cast, its complex interplay of character and time, and its understanding that the one thing we can't control is who we care for and who we love. The maturity of the film is evidenced in the fact that each of the characters comes to learn that he must temper his passions if he hopes to get through life with his sense of morality and decency - and his self-respect - intact.
Well written and acted, "Lawless Heart" is a quiet, unassuming film that has some important things to say about The Big Three: life, death and love.
Movie Review: 3.5 Stars - Quintessential British Filmaking
Summary: 4 Stars
I can only imagine that the sleeve design of this DVD was hoping to grab the attention of Red Shoe Diary, or Hunger viewers, when the film itself couldn't be further from that genre. A very clever piece of film making though it is, as we see three separate stories revolving around a funeral that happens at the beginning of the movie. Unlike ordinary flashback style pictures however, this shows the same story over from three completely different angles, keeping the viewer absorbed, whilst peripherally catching parts of the other two stories played out behind the one being watched. This is a story about ordinary people in a small community united in the loss of a friend, and in an almost "Wonderful Life" homage, the ramifications of that loss, and effect had on all who came into contact with him. A quiet Isle of Man (small island off west coast of England for those unsure)community where most people know everything about each other anyway, adds to the flavor of the story, and although you could hardly call this movie, action packed, sexually charged, or even gripping - it is strangely, and almost beautifully compelling. Each little cameo is well acted and very believable, and although it has a cast of little known or unknown actors, don't be put off. Not a movie to appeal to all tastes I'm sure, but highly enjoyable.Movie Review: Uninteresting people
Summary: 1 Stars
British movies excel in showingunattractive people in irrelevant problems.This DVD is to me a complete waste of time and I regret the almost two hours spent, viewing it.