Shell

A lonely existence in an isolated spot, looking after an introverted epileptic father.

In spite of the minimalistic tone both in terms of story, scenery and characters a good job has been done in terms of narrating the story of a father and a daughter in this seemingly isolated existence. What would have probably been intolerable for most, these two souls do not seem to mind, nor looking for a change in their situation. They have a close bond that surpasses everything and ties them together and to that place.

The raggedly beautiful backdrop of the windy Scottish Highlands adds a pleasant variance to the ambiance of this story.

A great thing about "Shell" is that the girl in the epicentre despite the remoteness in which she leaves she is popular among clients, some of whom openly express their feelings but it does not change her nor makes her full of herself. She always remains the girl at the gas station.

A let down is the prevailing sense of misery that seems to be the norm in most of modern British cinema.

Despite its contained nature, this is a careful and well exposed character study.

There are still places in the far north west of Scotland where you can drive for miles and scarcely see a house, with vast uninhabited moors between the roads, but for the most part, life in these parts is a story of small, remote communities that are communities nonetheless. Scott Graham's film takes us to lonelier place, however, the story of a young woman living an unhealthily close life with her needy, epileptic father: this might not be a normal life even in the highlands, but this a certainly a place where the daily practice of separation from others could lead to emotional isolation. The film follows the maxim of "show don't tell", which is often a good one; but here we only see a bleak portrait of empty lives, with exemplary incidents but little narrative: it's almost impossible to judge anyone as "good", "bad", or even "likeable" this far outside the normal physical and moral terrain. It's not an awful film, but a dash of something - humour, plot, malice - would not have gone amiss.

I loved this film from the moment I read the Synopsis.

I need to figure out where this was actually filmed as the roads are spectacular and look like they make for some nice driving. The petrol Station is very cute indeed.

For me the weather and remoteness of the location made the whole film for me, it gave the impression of a great desperateness and struggle against the cold which seemed to parallel the emotions portrayed by all of the characters.

A few nice cars on show too including a very tidy "Q" plated Series II Land Rover Pickup kitted out with Recover Gear, and a very tidy 1976 Fiesta XR2i which appears to have been borrowed from a member of highlandoldskoolfords.co.uk

Watch out for an appearance from Michael Smiley (known more for his role as Benny in Luther) as Hugh a lonely regular who becomes a bit too close for comfort at times

I had not heard of this film before but watched it last night and found that although it was on late, I could not take my eyes off the screen. The film is slow moving, but the acting draws you in - it is not an action thriller,so don't expect much dialogue or excitement. The characters move around each other with ease and there is a pathos and understanding between the father and daughter where you root for them to find some happiness in their dreary, bleak lives, even if it is with each other. Taboo subject, touched on with delicacy and great acting. It is almost like a French film where the words are few, the acting looks easy as if they are not acting, but the result is mesmerising and very watchable for the audience. You do feel for the couple and for their circumstances, but looking around the countryside, you can see that it reflects their empty lives.

A British drama; A story about a girl who works at a remote gas station on the West coast of Scotland with her father. Their physical isolation and reliance on each other trigger confusing emotions. This bleak, haunting, coming-of-age drama has a pacing perfectly poised for mystery, drama and tension. The film has a minimalist feel and while the story is slow burning it never loses momentum. The editing has occasional slackness but the direction is first rate and it helped produce some good performances and a crackling atmosphere.