Rating: 4/5
A lost man named Wayne wanders up to Cyril, tinkering with his motorbike. Wayne has the name of a house but no street or directions—just that it’s somewhere near King’s Cross. Cyril takes Wayne up to his flat, which he shares with his partner, Shirley, to see if she knows where the place might be. Shirley makes Wayne some tea while they sort it out. She introduces Wayne to her cactuses, named Bollock, Dick, Turd, Brains, and so on. Out of ideas, they send Wayne to find a cabbie.
Cyril and Shirley hop on his motorbike to visit Cyril’s old lady. She’s pushing 70 and done with it. Cyril tries to wind her up, but she’s having none of it. He laments how the neighborhood has changed since his youth, with the middle class taking over. The couple is socially conscious and aware of how the lower classes stab themselves in the foot by voting Tory. The conversation carries on all the way home and into the night, eventually leading them to a talk of kids, the one area where the two seem at odds.
Then, Wayne shows up, still lost. Wayne’s a bit thick, but his heart is in the right place. So, the two offer him a place to stay for the night. The film follows Cyril and Shirley interacting with people from different social classes and backgrounds.
The film explores the culture clash because of social differences. Initially, the movie takes a comedic approach, but as the movie carries on, the ramifications of these social differences create dramatic tension. Cyril’s mum has difficulty living alone, finding herself in predicaments where she isn’t sure where she’s left things. Her community has moved away or died, so asking for help is no easy task.
Ruth Sheen has British Shelley Duvall energy. Her performance is the standout of the movie. She and Cyril have a desirable relationship—two people who care about people and each other, accepting folks where they are and unafraid to offer help where they can. They have their hangups — Cyril’s a Marxist without an aim and righteous anger against the folks who meet, discussing the revolution but not doing anything about it.
Why the hell does Criterion have Americans writing closed captions for British films? There are so many [inaudible]s throughout and for every accent.
This film is the first Mike Leigh I’ve seen that resonated with me. Granted, I haven’t seen many, but it makes me optimistic to watch more in the future.