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Naked
1993
David Thewlis is Johnny the ultimate anti-hero of the nineties - cold, cynical and immoral, yet at times both caring and passionate. His complex existence is sketched with the hand of a master, as violence and gentleness, comedy and tragedy go hand in hand through a landscape inhabited by the sort of characters that most choose .. Read more
| Starring | David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge |
|---|---|
| Director | Mike Leigh |
| Genres | Drama |
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Naked
David Thewlis is Johnny the ultimate anti-hero of the nineties - cold, cynical and immoral, yet at times both caring and passionate. His complex existence is sketched with the hand of a master, as violence and gentleness, comedy and tragedy go hand in hand through a landscape inhabited by the sort of characters that most choose to forget.
| Starring | David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge |
|---|---|
| Director | Mike Leigh |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 11 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 18 Aug 2008 Production year: 1993 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews
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Mike Leigh's film explores a form of male self-loathing manifesting itself in misogynist insults and violence. When... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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82 out of 83 people found this review helpful
My all time favourite film
This is my number one film ever. I rarely watch films more than once or twice, but I have watched this one over and over again. Often just one scene. Yes, it’s brutal and nasty, but also has flashes of great compassion. Like all Mike Leigh’s films, it is a study of the “small” people, people who may not do or discover or create anything great or terrible enough to be recognized in history books, but who still, just by coping with this life, by small deeds, good or bad, are raised to heroic status. Mike Leigh’s message is simple – everyone is a hero in there own life. David Thewlis, as Johnny, is one of the most outstanding performances I have ever seen. Mike Leigh builds his characters and scripts from improvisation, and the actors will research and develop their own characters, so the words David Thewlis speaks are largely his own invention. The speech he gives to the security guard in the office block he takes shelter one night is alone enough reason to watch this film. Johnny swings from cruelty to compassion – one moment we see him trying to help a homeless man find his girlfriend, the next he systematically destroys all the security guard’s hopes and dreams. He is kind to a shy, unhappy waitress, but viciously insults a woman he pretends to want to seduce. He treats his ex-girlfriend with respect, but then treats her flat-mate with utter disrespect and disdain. He is obviously a highly intelligent man, but disturbed and confused and restless. He knows he should be great, but is frustrated by his disillusionment with life and humanity. He cannot understand the dreams and hopes of others, he cannot understand what he sees as false optimism the something better will happen – as he says to the security guard, “the future is now”, as opposed to wishful thinking that at some point life will get better. And to his ex-girlfriend’s flat-mate, he destroys her hopes by telling her what if the best thing that will ever happen to you has already happened? What if for the rest of your life nothing that good will ever happen again? The best moment has gone, and for the rest of your life you will never experience that happiness again. All of this is set to a relentless rhythm, the relentlessness of life, of simply surviving. This rhythm is portrayed in the repetitive music, the same theme tune over and over again, in the speech patterns of Johnny, the nervous tick of the homeless man. I have mentioned David Thewlis, because his performance truly should have deserved an Oscar. But the other characters are just as watchable, including the wonderful performances of Lesley Sharp (calm, strong, and the only person who really understands Johnny), and Katrin Cartlidge (nervous, inferiority complex, needy), and even the sadistic loathsome landlord (who, in contrast to Johnny, does not seem to have any compassion at all). Overall, despite what might sound a very bleak film, at the end, I did feel uplifted. Johnny, despite all, still moves on, determined to somehow find whatever it is that will redeem him and to finally understand the meaning of his life. And all the characters, however bleak their lives are, still manage to hope and dream. And this is what makes us human, and why we tolerate life, even in the knowledge of our certain death. In memory of Katrin Cartlidge.
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Most recent members' review
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9 out of 10 people found this review helpful
Naked
This movie is alright but bit poor too.... its also very complicate!
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News and features
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Caine tops Brit film list
- 04 Oct 2004
Michael Caine's portrayal of Newcastle killer Jack Carter has been named the best film of all time in a new poll. Get Carter beat off competition from other British classics such as Lawrence of Arabia and The Life of Brian to top the Total Film list of the best 50 British films. It may have caused something of a stir when it was released in 1971, but the gritty Get Carter has proved its enduring popularity according to the 25 film critics surveyed for the poll. The film, based on Ted Lewis's... Read more
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