Film Reviews by AM

This was a gripping account of the realities (or what I take to be the realities) of the refugee experience. The violence of the banlieues was more than matched by the violence that the hero had already experienced in Sri Lanka. The contrast between refugee life in France and life in England could not be more marked; no wonder the boats keep on coming. Perhaps this was exaggerated, but a remarkable and illuminating film.

Terrific acting (and Ian Holm completely OTT) and great atmosphere with a lovely story. Very engaging film.

Under the category "Comedy", it starts pretty gruesomely, but there are some very funny scenes. It is less comedy than a film about father-son dynamics. Jerry Lewis is brilliant, and there is a big dose of suspense as well. Lee Evans is not my favourite comic but here he has a part with real depth and darkness, which he rises to really well.

Granted it's tendentious, granted it's very long, granted that all the action could have been on the radio (talking heads), I still loved the gradual unfolding of the story, and the emerging relationships and delightful cameos that the tale allows. I was moved to read Chekov by this. The star, of course, is the car.

This is a fantasy based on a real person, and it has its moments of charm and wit. Adrian Dumbar is very good as the ever-optimistic theatre director. But much of the film is preposterous (my favourite word).