Pat Holden Movies
- 2008
A young man makes some new and dangerous friends in this kitchen-sink drama set in Northern England in 1979. 19-year-old Carty (Nicky Bell) lives with his father (Ged McKenna) and younger sister Molly (Holliday Grainger) and has a good job working for his uncle Bob (Ian Puleston-Davies). Despite his loving family and promising future, Carty is fascinated with "the Pack," a gang of football supporters led by John (Stephen Graham) who are known in the neighborhood for their drinking and reckless violence. Carty strikes up a casual friendship with Mark (Liam Boyle), a member of the Pack nicknamed "Elvis," and while Mark isn't convinced Carty is cut out to run with them at first, Carty's tenacity in a fight changes his mind. While Carty and his new mates use their muscle to knock some sense into a short-term boyfriend who mistreats Molly, she doesn't trust the Pack and tries to persuade her brother that hanging out with them will lead to a bad end. Carty isn't easily persuaded, but his relationship with the Pack becomes complicated when his friendship with Mark takes an unexpected turn. Awaydays was adapted from a novel by Kevin Sampson, who also wrote the film's screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicky Bell, Liam Boyle, (more)
An advertising executive at risk of losing his job finds that inspiration can sometimes come from the least likely of places in a brotherly comedy about getting laid and getting the job done from director Pat Holden. Adman Ed Waxman (Brendan Fehr) has just been informed by the higher-ups that if he doesn't come up with a killer campaign in the next 48 hours, he can kiss his high-paying job goodbye. Though work is all Ed can think about as the weekend approaches and inspiration seems to take a vacation, the arrival of Ed's womanizing brother, Cooper (Chris Klein), finds the pair setting out on an altogether different mission: to find the overworked and undersexed Ed some fitting female companionship. Just as a series of disastrous encounters with everyone from single mothers to sultry strippers begins to convince Ed that his love life is in as much trouble as his professional life, the appearance of a woman who could quite possibly be Ed's soul mate provides a glimmer of hope that the situation may not be as dire as he previously thought. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Brendan Fehr, (more)
