In a cinematic landscape dominated by superhero franchises, BYPASS provides a platform for the kind of characters the peerless Alan Clarke regularly gave a voice too. Set in a community that has been decimated by industrial decline, the film follows Tim (George MacKay) as he struggles to hold the last fragments of his family together. Much like Jérémie Renier's character in L'Infant (2005), Tim lives on the fringes of society and survives through petty crime. When faced with the reality of losing his family home, Tim is left with no option but to follow the path that led is older brother (Benjamin Dilloway) to jail – and his circumstances are further complicated by his rapidly deteriorating health.
Although BYPASS is set amongst a social-realist landscape, Hopkin's has infused Tim's world with a striking aesthetic - were dialogue is sparse and the cinematography and sound design propel the narrative. David Proctor's cinematography is beautiful, and as Tim's life spirals out of control the imagery carefully immerses the audience in his increasingly desperate situation. As the central protagonist George MacKay (FOR THOSE IN PERIL, SUNSHINE ON LEITH, PRIDE) is a revelation, and his scenes with Lester (Matt Cross) in particular, bristle with tension and menace.
BYPASS isn't what David Fincher calls popcorn cinema; it demands its audience to engage with its themes, and asks them to reflect long after they have left the cinema
BYPASS is a confident and provocative film which despite another 5 years of potential privatisation, is optimistic for its characters futures. If you truly care about British independent cinema then please ignore the critics, watch BYPASS on VoD* and make up your own mind
*http://www.bypassthefilm.co.uk/
