Film review: 'TwentyFourSeven'
Acclaimed at the 1997 Venice (Italy) and Toronto fests as well as this year's Sundance Film Festival, "TwentyFourSeven" is a soulful slice-of-lowlife starring Bob Hoskins as a "casuality" of Thatcher-era England who tries to re-create a sense of community by starting a boxing club for disaffected youths.
Unlikely to punch up noteworthy boxoffice in limited release, the October Films release is not tremendously engaging or always comprehensible to domestic viewers. Set in the midlands of England, with most of the ensemble cast sporting thick accents and lots of slang, "TwentyFourSeven" is filmed in black and white, setting it apart from the crowd but not greatly enhancing the experience.
The feature debut of British director Shane Meadows, who co-wrote the screenplay with Paul Fraser, "TwentyFourSeven" tries to be upbeat, frequently glossing over dramatic developments with montages edited to rock music. But it's basically a discouraging tale in which one man's hopes and dreams are suddenly dashed because of his own flaws.
Shy, troubled Tim (Danny Nussbaum) is emblematic of the aimless housing project denizens that tough and often tender Darcy (Hoskins) hopes to rescue through boxing lessons. Lonely himself, Darcy goes waltzing with his aunt and flirts with a shopgirl, but he spends most of his time trying to train the local toughs and please his financial partner (Frank Harper).
Against the odds, Darcy schedules a small match with another club and prepares his boys with a short trip to Wales. On fight day, despite a poor showing by his first couple fighters, Darcy keeps his cool until Tim is scheduled to enter the ring.
In an unexpected turn of events, Darcy snaps and ruins everything, but he has already redeemed himself when Tim finds him years later a dying, homeless wreck of a man. Though he stopped believing in himself, Darcy's attempt to build self-esteem and emotional control in his boys proves successful.
Shot in Nottingham, Meadows' hometown, "TwentyFourSeven" is slang for " 'round the clock, seven days a week." Meadows offers little in the way of innovative storytelling, relying too much on cross-cutting to improve pacing and making uninspired musical choices in some sequences.
Despite its weaker aspects, "TwentyFourSeven" boasts undeniably strong performances, particularly Hoskins in the lead.
TWENTYFOURSEVEN
October Films
BBC Films
A Scala production
Director: Shane Meadows
Producer: Imogen West
Screenwriters: Shane Meadows, Paul Fraser
Executive producers: Stephen Woolley,
Nik Powell, George Faber, David Thompson
Director of photography: Ashley Rowe
Production designer: John Paul Kelley
Editor: Bill Diver
Costume designer: Phillip Crichton
Music: Neil MacColl, Boo Hewerdine
Casting: Abi Cohen
Black and white/stereo
Cast:
Tim: Danny Nussbaum
Darcy: Bob Hoskins
Tim's Dad: Bruce Jones
Tim's Mum: Annette Badland
Ronnie: Frank Harper
Fagash: Mat Hand
Running time -- 96 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Unlikely to punch up noteworthy boxoffice in limited release, the October Films release is not tremendously engaging or always comprehensible to domestic viewers. Set in the midlands of England, with most of the ensemble cast sporting thick accents and lots of slang, "TwentyFourSeven" is filmed in black and white, setting it apart from the crowd but not greatly enhancing the experience.
The feature debut of British director Shane Meadows, who co-wrote the screenplay with Paul Fraser, "TwentyFourSeven" tries to be upbeat, frequently glossing over dramatic developments with montages edited to rock music. But it's basically a discouraging tale in which one man's hopes and dreams are suddenly dashed because of his own flaws.
Shy, troubled Tim (Danny Nussbaum) is emblematic of the aimless housing project denizens that tough and often tender Darcy (Hoskins) hopes to rescue through boxing lessons. Lonely himself, Darcy goes waltzing with his aunt and flirts with a shopgirl, but he spends most of his time trying to train the local toughs and please his financial partner (Frank Harper).
Against the odds, Darcy schedules a small match with another club and prepares his boys with a short trip to Wales. On fight day, despite a poor showing by his first couple fighters, Darcy keeps his cool until Tim is scheduled to enter the ring.
In an unexpected turn of events, Darcy snaps and ruins everything, but he has already redeemed himself when Tim finds him years later a dying, homeless wreck of a man. Though he stopped believing in himself, Darcy's attempt to build self-esteem and emotional control in his boys proves successful.
Shot in Nottingham, Meadows' hometown, "TwentyFourSeven" is slang for " 'round the clock, seven days a week." Meadows offers little in the way of innovative storytelling, relying too much on cross-cutting to improve pacing and making uninspired musical choices in some sequences.
Despite its weaker aspects, "TwentyFourSeven" boasts undeniably strong performances, particularly Hoskins in the lead.
TWENTYFOURSEVEN
October Films
BBC Films
A Scala production
Director: Shane Meadows
Producer: Imogen West
Screenwriters: Shane Meadows, Paul Fraser
Executive producers: Stephen Woolley,
Nik Powell, George Faber, David Thompson
Director of photography: Ashley Rowe
Production designer: John Paul Kelley
Editor: Bill Diver
Costume designer: Phillip Crichton
Music: Neil MacColl, Boo Hewerdine
Casting: Abi Cohen
Black and white/stereo
Cast:
Tim: Danny Nussbaum
Darcy: Bob Hoskins
Tim's Dad: Bruce Jones
Tim's Mum: Annette Badland
Ronnie: Frank Harper
Fagash: Mat Hand
Running time -- 96 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 4/24/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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