Hard-Hitting & Gut-Wrenching
A powerful, heartbreaking & gut-wrenching account of one of the countless cases of healthcare workers' lives around the globe overwhelmed, uprooted & devastated by their own governments' unpreparedness, mishandling & response to the ongoing pandemic, Help is an affecting, moving & hard-hitting drama that's all the more bolstered by evocative performances from Jodie Comer & Stephen Graham.
Directed by Marc Munden, the film's quick setup & simple character introductions allows for easy acquaintance with the setting & surroundings but things escalate real fast once the Coronavirus pandemic hits the most vulnerable at the care home, resulting in moments that are shattering to watch. The drama is told with gripping intensity, and benefits from the long takes, tight editing & soaring score that help sustain tension.
Still, it's the committed cast that does the heavy lifting here, with Comer & Graham contributing the most with outstanding renditions of their respective roles. Comer articulates her character's increasing pains, frustration, trauma & breakdown due to the hopelessness of the situation with emotional precision while Graham's nuanced act delivers more with less. The third act does feel out of place & bit unnecessary but the two actors make it count.
Overall, Help aptly captures the hellish nightmare that was unleashed on healthcare workers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the dwindling supply of resources that made their jobs even harder. The film only captures one sector of the healthcare spectrum yet is still applicable to all of them. And it's seething with anger for the lax priorities of responsible units during those crucial first months. One of the best films of 2021, this British television film is essential viewing.
Directed by Marc Munden, the film's quick setup & simple character introductions allows for easy acquaintance with the setting & surroundings but things escalate real fast once the Coronavirus pandemic hits the most vulnerable at the care home, resulting in moments that are shattering to watch. The drama is told with gripping intensity, and benefits from the long takes, tight editing & soaring score that help sustain tension.
Still, it's the committed cast that does the heavy lifting here, with Comer & Graham contributing the most with outstanding renditions of their respective roles. Comer articulates her character's increasing pains, frustration, trauma & breakdown due to the hopelessness of the situation with emotional precision while Graham's nuanced act delivers more with less. The third act does feel out of place & bit unnecessary but the two actors make it count.
Overall, Help aptly captures the hellish nightmare that was unleashed on healthcare workers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the dwindling supply of resources that made their jobs even harder. The film only captures one sector of the healthcare spectrum yet is still applicable to all of them. And it's seething with anger for the lax priorities of responsible units during those crucial first months. One of the best films of 2021, this British television film is essential viewing.
- CinemaClown
- Jun 10, 2022