Review of Wild Bill (2011) by Daniel A — 08 Sep 2012

It takes a special kind of actor to avoid the pitfalls of child stardom, and an even more impressive individual to then turn a successful acting career into a directorial debut that flows with untapped potential. Dexter Fletcher has come a long way since his early film roles in The Elephant Man and Bugsy Malone. Wild Bill marks his first attempt at sitting behind the camera, where he follows fellow British actors Paddy Considine and Richard Ayoade into the director's chair, proving himself as yet another surprise talent with an unexpected point of view.

Penned by Fletcher and Danny King, the film follows one-time madman Bill Hayward on his parole release from an eight-year prison sentence. Returning home he finds his two sons, now 15 and 11, living alone after the abandonment of their mother, and realises that the welfare of these boys has become solely his responsibility. It's a big adjustment from the sheltered life he's become accustomed to behind bars, and an even bigger step away from the crooked path of drugs and gangs that filled his life before prison. However the most effective moments in Wild Bill are all built on this reluctant change, as Bill slowly adapts himself to this new, grown-up role of fatherhood.

Will Poulter, who you may recognise from the most recent instalment in the Narnia franchise as well as the charming family caper Son of Rambow, plays Bill's eldest son Dean. At just fifteen, he's already quit school to get a job and provide for his younger brother, however the shock return of his father is hardly a relief, but a reminder of the abandonment he's suffered at the hands of both of his parents. Poutler's performance is a definite highlight. Those familiar with his past work, particularly on sketch show School of Comedy, will know of his impressive charisma and comedic skills but this first foray into more serious drama proves to be no threat for the young actor, who brings an earnestness to the role that feels organic to the character and faithful to Fletcher's overall vision.

Likewise Charlie Creed-Miles as Bill, delivers a performance that makes me question why I've never noticed him before. His career highlights include a host of prominent film and television productions spanning back to the late eighties, yet it seems his talents have never been given the outing they deserved until now. He plays Bill with a surprising naivety. Prison has clearly tamed this once wild animal, but into something of an empty vessel. It's due to his renewed relationship with his sons that the vitality begins to return to his worn body, and Creed-Miles excels at portraying the measured evolution of this character from idle waster to a man of substance and purpose. This wonderfully executed character arc is without doubt the thing that sets Wild Bill apart from the army of similar movies out there.

Granted Fletcher does a tidy job of painting East London as the typical concrete jungle, filled with council estates and dingy pubs that these types of films love to portray. He also fills the scenes with just about every East-end cliché going, from the idiot rude boy to nameless gangsters and the hooker with a heart of gold, they're all here. Thankfully however there's more lying beneath the surface, as Bill's suppressed wild side adds an element of suspense that threatens to burst forth at any moment. The inevitable explosion of rage is perfectly timed and satisfyingly staged, drawing forth shades of Dead Man's Shoes and even a little of Shaun of the Dead, which seems like an odd comparison but Wild Bill actually contains a very solid streak of humour that prevents it from falling too hard into that too serious and overly-worthy area that some of its peers seem to strive for.

All in all this is strong debut. It suffers slightly from stunted narrative ambitions, but for anything the story lacks in scale, it more than makes up for in authenticity and unexpected charm. Furthermore Fletcher calls in a host of his acting pals, with appearances from Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng, Andy Serkis and host of other familiar faces bringing further credibility to a film that is already more than worthy of your time.