Review of Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002) by Dan S — 30 Dec 2012

Directed by Shane Meadows, who had shown gritty yet hopeful sides to life in Twenty Four Seven (1997) and A Room for Romeo Brass (1999)), he opted to do something a bit different, but keeping it grounded in his hometown of Nottingham.

While Meadows' previous films had been smaller and contained, this has widescreen cinematography, and it feels like a big production, even though it was done on a shoestring. When petty thief Jimmy (Robert Carlyle) see's his ex-girlfriend Shirley (Shirley Henderson) being proposed to on TV by Dek (Rhys Ifans), Jimmy travels from Glasgow to Nottingham, where he spent most of his childhood in a foster home with 'sister' Carol (Kathy Burke).

Jimmy and Shirley had a daughter together Marlene (Finn Atkins), and Jimmy wants to win her back and start afresh, but Shirley and Marlene won't give in. Jimmy has support from old friend and country & western singer Charlie (Ricky Tomlinson), however some of Jimmy's associates from Glasgow turn up in Nottingham.

It has good intentions, referencing westerns, down to the music and camera angles. But, it's a bit too polished by Meadows standards, he would return to grittier fare with Dead Man's Shoes (2004) and This is England (2006).

As an experiment, it has varying effects, but Meadows was still finding his feet at the time.