Simon Blake makes an impressive debut as the writer and director of this edgy, gritty film that is not afraid to take more chances than most. The film is very dark, very slow, and explores the tragedies that happen on the streets daily and yet in Simon's hands it is mesmerizing, largely due to the cast's credible performances.
Set in North London, 'Still' is a gritty and atmospheric thriller about the violent disintegration of a man and father. Tom Carver (Aidan Gillen) is a man stumbling blindly towards a crossroad in his life, thrown out of focus by the death of his teenage son Stephen in a hit and run accident a year earlier. His ex-wife Rachel (Amanda Mealing) moves on, a new girlfriend Christina (Elodie Yung) moves into his squalid apartment, but Tom's life as a photographer is reduced to taking school portraits and drinking excessively and using drugs with his smarmy journalist buddy Ed (Jonathan Slinger). He becomes involved in a feud with a teenage gang after a seemingly harmless collision with a young kid. As the feud becomes more horrifying, Carver's world starts to unravel forcing him to make decisions that will change his life forever. His confrontation with one of the neighborhood gang, Carl (Sonny Green), reveals secrets about his life he has not faced and drives him to perform and act he would have never considered before his son's death. The ending is a stunningly stark and long moment of truth.
Aidan Gillen is particularly fine in evolving his rather bland character into a man driven to acts by re-molded anger. The supporting cast is excellent – especially the vivid confrontation between Gillen and Sonny Green. It is a long and sad song but it has its merits.
