Review of Keeping Rosy (2014) by Barry T — 15 Jul 2014

Keeping Rosy is a clever British thriller which uses commonly held assumptions to shock and enthrall us.

There are so many things about this which make it a must-watch. Maxine Peake is now our go-to gal for portraying the hard nut with soft innards, but she surpasses her character in Silk for sheer guts and determination in this role. In usual circumstances you might not like this character very much but she will win you over as she takes real control of her life for the first time. The Inbetweeners' Blake Harrison is ever so versatile, proving to be just as adept at playing a complete scumbag who takes advantage of the situation in the worst way possible.

The film moves along at a very zippy pace, mirroring the quick reactions of the main character, with intuitive direction from writer/director Steve Reeves. The premise feels very human; you could almost imagine yourself getting in to the same situations. None of the characters feel wooden and events seem altogether plausible, which seems to be a difficult thing for filmmakers to harness. The lasting impression is that of a simply produced film with very fresh aspects.The mish-mash of situations and refusal to tread the 'career woman has life issues' yawn fest path pays off brilliantly, as of course it would. More please.