Review of Somers Town (2008) by ...:Oi! O — 06 Sep 2008

First, In response to a couple of points of general criticism of this film:

1: It's just an extended advert for Eurostar (who funded it)...

The fact is there's a hell of a lot of credence to this argument and I'm sure Eurostar are pretty happy with it, but even if viewed entirely from the point of view of it being an advertisement, it is a terribly entertaining and well executed one. At a time when the BFI has just released its umpteenth DVD of GPO films reclassified as little overlooked works of art, and while Geoffrey Jones' Shell films are rightly enough being regarded as masterpieces, does it matter? I'd rather have an inspired advert to an uninspired pile of Hollywood crap rife with distracting product placement.

2: It's very slight.

Death In Venice was slight, but that was 3 hours long. Somers Town fits pretty well into its 75 minutes I reckon, and rather that than have it outstay its welcome.

I'm not going to claim to be a Shane Meadows fan. I always enjoy his films like, I just don't regard myself as a fan just yet. Somers Town is a very enjoyable, funny, fairly light film about chance relationships - perhaps not much more than a long short film - maybe just a very good very long advert for Eurostar.

If you're desperate for a follow up to This Is England you possibly will be disappointed, but approach it on its own terms, within its own limitations, and Somers Town comes out as a pretty bloody perfect little film.