A troubled boy (Steven Mackintosh) endures physical abuse by the staffers at a children's home.A troubled boy (Steven Mackintosh) endures physical abuse by the staffers at a children's home.A troubled boy (Steven Mackintosh) endures physical abuse by the staffers at a children's home.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 12 wins & 3 nominations total
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Jason W. May
- Older Terry
- (as Jason May)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Featured reviews
Mackintosh and Bird deserve every plaudit.
I watched this film for the first time on Polish TV last night, and it blew me away.
I've been an admirer of Steven Mackintosh's performances for many years, but this is his tour-de-force.
Like many people director Antonia Bird caught my attention in 1994 when Bird was premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
Together Bird and Mackintosh, well supported by an excellent cast, create a harrowing, shocking and nerve-shattering drama that only us Brits could make with such brutal honesty.
Well done all of you involved. 10/10
I've been an admirer of Steven Mackintosh's performances for many years, but this is his tour-de-force.
Like many people director Antonia Bird caught my attention in 1994 when Bird was premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
Together Bird and Mackintosh, well supported by an excellent cast, create a harrowing, shocking and nerve-shattering drama that only us Brits could make with such brutal honesty.
Well done all of you involved. 10/10
10nsvsv99
A must-see!
This movie is very difficult to watch, but it ought to be seen by everyone. It's hard to believe such evil people exist, that would treat kids like this. But they do. And the rest of us, the society, we fail in helping the abused because we don't want to know what's going on. The acting is very good in general, but Macintosh is simply brilliant!
10maggie-9
Unbearably sad with a harrowing performance by Steven Mackintosh
I am not sure what the previous reviewer meant by saying that something in this film was amusing. Amusing it is not. But it grabs you and pulls you in and you can't stop watching. Steven Mackintosh is superb and his last scene was so sad. The loyal strength of his girlfriend is also immensely touching.
Quite a number of important points are made about problems like child abuse. The most important is the way lawyers and insurance companies can push an organisation into a cover-up. Another is that, hard as this might be to accept, Davey and the others would have been better off if the case had never been investigated. It is giving evidence and not being believed which pushes him to the edge, not the original abuse. A terrible dilemma.
Quite a number of important points are made about problems like child abuse. The most important is the way lawyers and insurance companies can push an organisation into a cover-up. Another is that, hard as this might be to accept, Davey and the others would have been better off if the case had never been investigated. It is giving evidence and not being believed which pushes him to the edge, not the original abuse. A terrible dilemma.
A Wonderful Portrayal of a Harrowing Subject
For the past few years, stories of child-abuse within childrens homes has been in the news throughout England and Wales.
This story concerns Davey Younger, a mischevious lad who's put in care for a tad of trouble-making, and is subjected to unspeakable horrors by the people who are supposed to be looking after him. Davey finds that everyone that he turns to simply doesn't want to know or simply doesn't care. Even the suicide of his friend John isn't enough to cause an investigation.
Then, we see Davey as a grown man, trying to forge a relationship with single-mum Pauline and her three children. He seems normal to the outside world, and even to Pauline, but when the story breaks in the news, Davey begins to crack.
Steven Mackintosh deals with his role as Davey wonderfully, portraying him as the mixed up, confused person that he is. This film is excrutiating to watch and the ending is unbearable. However, director Antonia Bird deals with both the subject and the film extremely well (just as she did in Priest(1994)) and presents a wonderful film for those who can actually bear to watch it.
This story concerns Davey Younger, a mischevious lad who's put in care for a tad of trouble-making, and is subjected to unspeakable horrors by the people who are supposed to be looking after him. Davey finds that everyone that he turns to simply doesn't want to know or simply doesn't care. Even the suicide of his friend John isn't enough to cause an investigation.
Then, we see Davey as a grown man, trying to forge a relationship with single-mum Pauline and her three children. He seems normal to the outside world, and even to Pauline, but when the story breaks in the news, Davey begins to crack.
Steven Mackintosh deals with his role as Davey wonderfully, portraying him as the mixed up, confused person that he is. This film is excrutiating to watch and the ending is unbearable. However, director Antonia Bird deals with both the subject and the film extremely well (just as she did in Priest(1994)) and presents a wonderful film for those who can actually bear to watch it.
Can anyone tell me the Radiohead song at the end of this film please I've been trying to find it.
Hi this was the best thing I've watched I was only 10 when I watched this with my mum who's suddenly passed so I'm desperate to find the song at the end of the movie she loved it and I would like to listen and I would really love to watch it again but seems impossible ? Please help.
Did you know
- TriviaEpilogue: "42 out of 52 police forces in Britain are currently investigating allegations of sexual abuse in children's homes. They are: Lincolnshire Operation Diamond, North Yorkshire Operation Pudsy, Sussex Operation Blast, Staffordshire Operation Thor, Gwent Operation Flight, Avon & Somerset Operation React, South Wales Operation Goldfinch, Suffolk, Devon & Cornwall Operation Lentisk, Hampshire Dorset, Kent, Royal Ulster Constabulary, Strathclyde, Essex, Grampian, Dunfries & Galloway, Metropolitan West Midlands, Hertfordshire, Northumbria, Avon & Somerset, Thames Valley, West Mercia, Fife, West Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Leicester Humberside, South Wales, Lothian & Borders, Greater Manchester Operation Goldfinch, Wiltshire, Norfolk Gloucester, Mercyside Operation Care, North Wales, Derbyshire, Lancashire Operation Nevada, Nottinghamshire."
- ConnectionsFeatures Fawlty Towers (1975)
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