Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (Cinema: October 2002)

First things first. Shane Meadows IS the future of British filmmaking. He does what we as a filmmaking nation do best: socio-realism. Not the high class pretentions of Merchant Ivory or those embarrasing lottery-funded 'comedies' but films mirroring classics like Boys From the Blackstuff, Scum, Kes, Mona Lisa, Trainspotting, Brassed Off, The Full Monty even. Hugh Grant et al may be more financially successful but Four Weddings (& its ilk) are more cosmopolitan London movies than wholely British affairs.

The UK film industry has always (& only ever?) excelled at kitchen sink socio-realism. It's who we are. We can't/shouldn't compete with HW so why bother? The films of people like Mike Leigh best express the British (or English) dilemma: grey skies, prudish attitudes & urban despair. Leigh's films are more memorable than most HW product & offer the kind of street level despair we as a movie-making nation excell at. Where Meadows surpasses his mentor is his ability to successfully incorporate that other Great British export: our sense of humour. Meadows' films are sad AND funny (granted Leigh's are also humourous but to a lesser degree) - kinda like the bastard son of Monty Python & Ken Loach...

Meadows himself remains an inspiration, someone who started out making films with his friends, honed his style & persevered to get where he is today: working alongside the best of British. Meadows has stuck to his guns (& his Nottingham roots), never trying to be fashionable or cash-in when it would have been easy to migrate into more upbeat but short lived affairs like Human Traffic & Twin Town. Instead Meadows has kept grafting away at the kind of films he's always made; simple tales of everyday working class life & all it's peculiarly English connotations of comedy, tragedy & hope.

Once Upon A Time in the Midlands is undoubtedly the apex of his success so far & sadly for the UK film industry there's precious little mountain left to climb. Wherever he does go from here, (inspite of big name support like Bob's Hoskins & Carlyle, Ricky Tomlinson, Kathy Burke & even Reeves & Mortimer) you'd wager him not compromising his style or intention an inch, be it lavish London premieres or local art house openings. Like Leigh, come rain or shine, budget or not, you feel Meadows will keep plugging away, largely unnoticed & criminally underexposed, his name destined to go down in the tomes of British filmmaking as yet another genius auteur that, not unlike his Sergio Leone-esque hero from Once Upon A Time In The Midlands, plods along without causing a fuss: happy, content & lacking the adoration & respect he truly deserves.

As for his latest, it may not be his best but its still head & shoulders above the competition.

RATING:

(c)Limer 2002