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Here and Now
Stars: Andy Rush, Lauren Johns, Susan Lynch, Alex Evans, Claire Coache, William Nadylam
Director: Lisle Turner
The sights and sounds of an English summer are examined in quite pleasing fashion in this youth-oriented romance, and empathetically photographed by Will Humphris, whose concentration on greens and yellows offers the film just the right degree of warmth. And, if the foreground story is conventional, then the playing of the film's young leads is fresh and appealing.
Grace (Johns), a teenager from London's East End, views a week in the country - ostensibly helping her parents patch up their ailing marriage - with incipient boredom. She meets a local boy, Say (Rush), with whom she has little in common - he finds her pushy if attractive - but, as they tell us, opposites may attract, and in this case do. And, thanks to the playing, we remain interested in what, if anything might come of this.
Although the writing is reasonably intelligent, the film as is so often the case) wastes the charismatic Susan Lynch, and could do with some barbs of humour to balance its drama. As a calling card for its first-time feature director, though, it's quite effective, and, though a little static at times, never outstays its welcome.
David Quinlan
UK 2014. UK Distributor: Wrapt Films. Colour by Kodak.
82 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.
Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.
Review date: 03 Jul 2014