Mike Smart Movies
With a cruel, keen edge, this taut social drama slices deeply into Thatcher's England to expose a grim underbelly of racism, cynicism and despair. Reuben James is a black paratrooper who has spent the last nine years serving in the British army and who finally gets discharged to return to his home in South London. There he discovers that the residents have been ravaged by the poverty of the decade and many have turned to crime to survive, while others do their best in the midst of crushing hopelessness to find order and meaning. He too fights the same battles as he struggles to find work. He is disillusioned to discover that to racist employers, his sterling service record is almost worthless. The poor veteran suffers a final blow when he learns that because he was born on the common-wealth island of St. Lucia, and because the laws have suddenly changed, he is no longer considered a British citizen. Now he must quickly make a decision about the rest of his life. Meanwhile, back in the neighborhood, tempers fray, frustration mounts and violence ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Amanda Redman, (more)
Ray Davies, leader of the group The Kinks and one of the most well-respected songwriters in the history of British rock, made his directorial debut with this film produced for British television. A man (played by Kenneth Colley) boards a commuter train and reads his newspaper, glancing at a story in which a man who looks just like him is wanted for a brutal rape. As the miles roll by, he wonders about the fate of his missing daughter (Dominique Barnes) and the sad state of his relationship with his wife (Valerie Holliman). He also banters with an attractive women (Gretchen Franklin) sitting nearby, watches a group of businessmen cheerfully singing about their careers, and observes a group of older people wondering what became of their lives and the world they once knew. Davies himself has a small role as a singer in a tube station (he wrote several original songs for the project). Also, keep an eye peeled for Tim Roth in a small role as a punk rocker. As a bonus, the DVD release also features eight music videos by The Kinks, including concept videos for "Come Dancing," "Predictable," and "State of Confusion," and live clips of the band performing earlier hits such as "Lola," "You Really Got Me," and "Celluloid Heroes." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenneth Colley, Valerie Holliman, (more)
