Listen

From the little girl spying the world through her own lens to the mother's despair for the loss of her children, this movie is both a look at one side of our complicated, sometimes messed-up society, and a cinematographic experience for a young director.

Keeping my expectations low, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The director, Ana Rocha de Sousa, shows her ability to catch emotions from the right shot. I was moved by Lúcia Moniz's performance. I do wonder how accurate this story is to reality... I sure hope it isn't, but I'm not keeping my hopes up for that.

However, the movie is short, which it shows as the story comes to a resolution rather quickly. Too quickly for what we expect the reality of social services to be. All feels too simple for what is a very complicated process.

In any case, bravo.

A broken system like many British services that are supposed to help but end up harming more than helping. But hey, 'I understand. I know how you are feeling'. So typical.

The film has some issues getting out of the same place and developing the plot. It also doesn't conclude in a very positive way as the ending seems rushed and incomplete, not giving us the emotional impact it aimed to (we don't even see one of the children). Still, the acting is good, especially Lucia Moniz's, which is excellent, and the situation always keeps us engaged with a story that is infuriating but, unfortunately, based on real situations.

A searing indictment of the UK's indictment of the UK's social service system if ever there was one, Listen is basically a low-budget film about a poor Portuguese couple living in London who have their kids taken away under the most dubious of circumstances.

Their little girl is deaf with bruises on her back, the son is violently ill and the other one is just a baby who won't stop crying. Not an ideal day for the welfare checkers to come a-knocking you might say, and once the adoption process stops it's very hard to stop.

Listen has good acting from all participants (apart from the kid who plays the little boy, he seemed a bit too 'polished' to me) and a very believable plot to boot which must be every mother's worst nightmare. It could easily have been longer though, with the most abrupt of endings arriving at around the 70 minute mark.

A shame really, as with a bit more time spent on the narrative and a few extra scenes this could've been something a bit special. Instead, we have a decent piece of cinema which feels as a whole unsatisfying with a pretty disappointing conclusion.

Ah well. It was worth watching once at least. 5/10.

A film that criticizes UK social services. Being poor is not a reason to take children away from their parents, but they should receive social support.

Story: 6*

Actors: 5*. There is the exception of Lúcia Moniz who carried the film on her shoulders. 8*

Photography: 4*

Music/Sound: 4*

Best part: courtroom scene.

Worst part: the end of the story was missing.

Costume Design/Makeup and Hairstyling: 7* Given the context of poverty. They did well. It can be seen that the film was made with a low budget, in all aspects.

Even so, it had everything to be a better film. 1 hour of film that was incomplete. At least it's only an hour.

Rating: 5/10.

Based on a true story, the film is about a couple who has to fight to get their children back. It's portrayed very realistically and the direction is first rate. Enjoyed this a lot.