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Lawless Heart
2001
Three men who have led very different lives are reunited by the funeral of a mutual friend in this second feature film from writing-directing team Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger (BOYFRIENDS). Stuart's accidental death leads his brother-in-law, his boyfriend, and his best friend to reconsider some of the choices they have made in .. Read more
| Starring | Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, Douglas Henshall, Sukie Smith |
|---|---|
| Director | Neil Hunter, Tom Hunsinger |
| Genres | Comedy |
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Lawless Heart
Three men who have led very different lives are reunited by the funeral of a mutual friend in this second feature film from writing-directing team Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger (BOYFRIENDS). Stuart's accidental death leads his brother-in-law, his boyfriend, and his best friend to reconsider some of the choices they have made in their lives and, in some cases, gives them the courage to try things they have never tried before. Stuart's brother-in-law, Dan (Bill Nighy), is a loyal father and a faithful husband to Judy (Ellie Haddington) who is suddenly tempted by an exotic stranger (Clementine Celarie). Following the death of his lover Stuart, restaurateur Nick (Tom Hollander) is forced to confront his emotions when he is drawn to a woman (Sukie Smith). Carefree wanderer Tim (Douglas Henshall) faces adulthood for the first time when he falls in love with a local girl (Josephine Butler). Told in three sections from the perspective of each of the three main characters, this modern romance takes a remarkable look at how delicately lives can be intertwined and how the simplest action done by one person can affect so many others.
| Starring | Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, Douglas Henshall, Sukie Smith, Clementine Celarie, Josephine Butler, Stuart Laing, David Coffey, Ellie Haddington, Dominic Hall |
|---|---|
| Director | Neil Hunter, Tom Hunsinger |
| Studio | OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 36 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 28 Apr 2003 Production year: 2001 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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Gentle, wry humour illuminates the subtleties of modern relationships in this unassuming but poignant British comedy. Cleverly revealing a tightly woven plot of interconnected destinies and shared fortunes, the film examines how the sudden death of a mutual friend forces a trio of men to reassess their own lives and desires. Told from three different perspectives, each intricately crafted segment adds essential pieces to an emotional jigsaw of love, lust and questioned loyalties. Douglas Henshall gives the least convincing of the central roles, turning globetrotting soul-searcher Tim into an amalgam of his This Year's Love and Orphans roles. However, Bill Nighy and Tom Hollander's understated performances — as the deceased's dull brother-in-law and the bereaved boyfriend, respectively — are a joy, bringing quiet dignity to a mature and sharply observant tale.
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A film that revisits the same events three times, as seen from the varying viewpoints of the people involved; the method loses its interest the second time around.
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Most helpful member's review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
About people
Yes, it isn't about helicopter chases or expensive sets, neither is it driven by the location scouts (though the location is perfect), this is a film about seeing the same world from different points of view, feeling about the same situation in different ways, and it works. Splintered it may be, narratively, but it all rotates around a warmly growing sense of emotional depth and therefore holds together in a way that more than justifies the non-linear approach. Not a gimmick, but the only way to have reached what the film strives to reach and does. Lovely performances all round. My only complaint is that Sukie Smith has, subsequently, been so under-used by a UK film industry that needs the sort of great actress that she undoubtedly is.
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
About people
Yes, it isn't about helicopter chases or expensive sets, neither is it driven by the location scouts (though the location is perfect), this is a film about seeing the same world from different points of view, feeling about the same situation in different ways, and it works. Splintered it may be, narratively, but it all rotates around a warmly growing sense of emotional depth and therefore holds together in a way that more than justifies the non-linear approach. Not a gimmick, but the only way to have reached what the film strives to reach and does. Lovely performances all round. My only complaint is that Sukie Smith has, subsequently, been so under-used by a UK film industry that needs the sort of great actress that she undoubtedly is.
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Three men who have led very different lives are reunited by the funeral of a mutual friend in this second feature film from writing-directing team Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger (BOYFRIENDS). Stuart's ... -