Hallam Foe
Hallam Foe is probably the best film I have seen this year.
It’s a ‘fucked up british teen movie’, well that was the genre the film was placed in by it’s director David Mackenzie at the post screening Q&A session I attended at the ICA on Tuesday night. Black comedy it is, this coming of age tale adapted from Peter Jink’s novel is hugely entertaining throughout.
The film tells the story of Hallam ‘Jamie Bell’ Foe’s journey of grief after his mothers recent death, a journey which forces him to escape his rural family home and step mother for the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. In the city he continues his peeping tom obsession, his liking for fancy dress whilst perfecting his rooftop climbing skills and romancing his new boss - who happens to be a deadringer for his late mother. The cast is rich, full of great characters, I especially enjoyed the efforts of Ewen Bremner (Spud from Trainspotting).
The sound track feels perfect, well I guess it was always going to when they had access to the Domino catalogue, I brought it the next morning and have been playing it far too much this week, Psapp’s ‘Tricycle’ is pretty special. David Shrigley illustrated credits and intro sequence are another good thing.
The film is released next Friday, August 31st, you should go and see it.