Ruth Caleb Movies

Dominic Savage is a filmmaker known for exploring the subject of social inequity in contemporary England. In this film focusing on the country's homelessness problem Savage follows the lives of several characters who are struggling to survive in a shelter for those with no place to live and no one to turn to. Michelle is a single mother who is pregnant and desperate to escape her husband Robert - a violent ex-convict who was only recently released from prison. Yemi is a journalist who, along with his terrified wife, was recently forced to flee from Nigeria in fear of his life. Meanwhile, wealthy, forty year-old father-to-be Mark (Colin Firth) feels profound guilt over his good fortune in life, and selflessly determines to give back to the community by becoming a street worker. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Two outsiders witness an onslaught of bloody Rwandan genocide in this fact-based drama from director Michael Caton-Jones (Scandal). In 1994, Joe Connor (Hugh Dancy) is a British schoolteacher who has volunteered to spend a year at the Ecole Technique Officielle, a school in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. Connor's arrival in Rwanda occurs after the nation's Civil War between the Tutsis and the Hutus has dissipated (c. August 1993). Yet despite the official end of this well-publicized struggle, political negotiations between the two groups have reached a stalemate, and the Hutus begin systematic preparation for a mass-genocide of the Tutsi people (who have assumed political power via the establishment of the RPF). Connor has already seen signs of the coming conflict in the abuse meted out to Marie (Clare-Hope Ashitey), a Tutsi student who was one of his star pupils, as well as the bitter hatred expressed by Francois (David Gyasi), a Hutu janitor at the school. As the genocide erupts, with extreme Hutu factions slaughtering Tutsis by the thousands, the Ecole Technique becomes a base of operations for Belgian peacekeeping forces from the United Nations. Most extended visitors from the West (especially America and Europe) flee Rwanda as the fighting broke out, but Connor decides to stay, and in fact strikes up a friendship with Father Christopher (John Hurt), a Catholic priest who has come to the nation as a missionary. As Father Christopher serves mass and strives to offer solace to the Tutsis and moderate Hutus caught in the fighting, he and Connor use the school as a safe haven for Tutsi refugees; however, after five days of genocidal killing, the U.N. troops move out, leaving little hope for the people they were supposed to protect. Beyond the Gates was produced by David Belton, who helped write the film's story; Belton was a correspondent with the BBC who was assigned to Rwanda when the fighting broke out. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The gritty drama Bullet Boy tells how two brothers living in a harsh poverty stricken area of London become involved in a vicious cycle of violence after an incident on the street. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Dominic Savage's Out of Control is a harsh look at the lives of British delinquents. Sam (Leo Gorcy) and his buddy Danny (Akemnji Ndifornyan) are caught after a robbery and sentenced to two years in a juvenile detention center. Dean (Danny Young) has had troubles in the past. Although he has kept his nose clean, his old friend Charlie pulls a stunt that lands Dean back behind bars. In the center, Sam harasses Dean. Each of the characters must figure out how to survive in this brutal setting. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

The BBC1 military miniseries Bravo Two Zero was based on the actual experiences of Sergeant Andy McNab, who adapted the teleplay from his own novel. Set during the 1991 Gulf War, the series' two 60-minute episodes follow an SAS Patrol as they burrow deep into Iraqui-held territory. Their mission: to destroy the scud missiles in the arsenal of Saddam Hussein. Getting into enemy territory was the "easy" part; getting out was another matter entirely. Without giving away the ending, it should be noted that the SAS team in question was the most highly decorated British patrol since the days of the Boer War -- and that only five of the eight operatives lived to receive their decorations. Sean Bean starred as protagonist Andy McNab. Bravo Zero Two made its first television appearance in 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Continuing cinema's fascination with bringing the stories of handicaps and the mentally challenged to the big screen (Rain Man, My Left Foot, Shine, etc.), here comes a low-budget film about the unlikely love story of people brought together by fate, as well as 120 hours of community service. As a frustrated artist who can't build himself a flying machine, Richard (Kenneth Branagh) eventually finds himself in trouble with the law. As punishment for his eccentric behavior, he accepts community service in the company of Jane (Helena Bonham Carter), a strong-willed woman suffering from the neuromuscular disorder called ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease). As the two learn from each other, Jane turns to Richard with the biggest favor of all, helping her lose her virginity. What ensues is a romance/friendship that changes their lives forever. ~ Arthur Borman, All Movie Guide

A 13-year-old Welsh boy carefully charts the experiences of his adolescence through his secret collection of hand-made maps. Griff's maps are a blend of actual locations and those of the local Celtic myths; they are for him, a sort of diary, a means by which he makes sense of his world and the disturbing mysteries of late, most of which center around the disappearance of Alis, the star pupil of Griff's mother, who owns a dance school. He also charts the many affairs of his father. Griff has a sister Ruth, but he is really only close to his mother, Megan. Griff decides to investigate the disappearance of Alis, and enlists the aid of Joseph, a Polish vagabond who seems to know what happened. This British drama chronicles their attempts to discover the truth, which in the end turns out to be a painful experience. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This British drama offers a gritty slice from the life of a hard-working Welsh single-mother. The story is set in the Rhondda Valley in southern Wales and follows the travails of young Jo, the mother of a young daughter. Jo works in a sweatshop as an ironer. Though she is rather poor, she has a good life. Her lover is Kevin, who is married. In her spare time, Jo studies. Recently she just moved into her own apartment in a project after spending several years with her slovenly father. To supplement her meager income, Jo sometimes models, and does the occasional phone sex gig. She uses part of this extra money to help out her troubled little sister, Andrea, a heroin addict. Jo's life begins to fall apart when she learns that she is 15-weeks pregnant. Upon hearing this, her charming lover, Kevin, backs off. She then discovers that he has also been sleeping with one of her friends. Then she hears that Andrea was nearly arrested and simultaneously, her mother becomes deathly ill. Jo knows that she cannot legally get an abortion, and so decides to take another course. With little self-pity or remorse, she conceals the pregnancy, bears the child in the woods, and promptly kills it. She then goes back to resume her life. Unfortunately, her troubles are not over, for the police find the infant's corpse floating in a river and launch a massive search for the murderous mother. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Set near the end of 1899, as a new century is due to arrive and many people struggle to keep up with an era in flux, this drama follows the goings-on at a medical clinic operated by Professor Mandry (Charles Dance). Mandry appears somewhat progressive to his top student and right-hand man, Paul Reisner (Clive Owen), given his willingness to hire women and blacks - but Reisner's unchecked enthusiasm for Mandry soon fades when he discovers Mandry's hesitancy to acknowledge the importance of Felix's work on diabetic disorders, and his willingness to propagate eugenics via the enforced sterlization of impoverished British women. Eventually, their disagreements lead to the younger man's suspension; Paul then turns to Clara (Miranda Richardson), a free-thinking young woman working at the clinic who shows tremendous professional and emotional support to him. Soon they become lovers, but have disagreements of their own regarding medical ethics. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Adaptation of the David Leavitt novel in which a young man agonizes over revealing his homosexuality to his parents, but doesn't realize that his father is also gay and is about to come out of the closet in a way that will destroy his marriage. ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a husband strays with a drug-addict student and comes home HIV positive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide