Hard Tide

This can't be real ?

Kidnap Murder Assault and battery

So after all of this let's put a strange 8 year old to bed then go and meet the misses !!

Doesn't make any sense at all.

Nonsense

If I make a list this year of 'films you should watch' then Hard Tide is going to be on it. I thought I was going to see drug deals, mid level violence and handguns and all three of those are in fact in Hard Tide but what I didn't expect was what I got. Hard Tide isn't just another drug deal, thug movie (and trust me. I watch enough of those) this film has it all. Its beautifully shot and a lot of the time it has this wonderful 'old movie' style to it with sun reflections and lighting tricks making the film look far more impressive than a lot of films I've seen recently. If I say that a lot of the film reminded me 1970's films, then I mean that as a compliment. I love that look of Hard Tide. still-of-mem-ferda-and-nathanael-wiseman-in-hard-tide-(2015)-large- picture

The plot took turns that I didn't know about (and I don't mean in a 'he sees dead people ' manner. I'm not talking about plot twists. I'm talking about plot development. Nathanael Wiseman is great as 'Jake' who is the lead in the film. I only realised when the end credits rolled that Nathanael (along with Robert Osman) wrote and directed the film. 'Jake' shouldn't be a likable character because he deals drugs for a living, but he breaks that stereotypical drug dealer role that so often isn't broken in films. He is a person who has a conscience and who cares for other things in life, not just money. It doesn't take long for the audience to care about Jake, and thats down to the writing of his story and of course the performance by Nathanael. Sequel please!!!!!

The rest of the cast are great. There is a single scene very early on with Ralph Brown which actually was the first moment in the film where I realised how clever the writing was in Hard Tide and that I was in for something different. But it wasn't the last time I realised how smart the writing was.

Newcomer Alexandra Newick is great as 'Jade' and hopefully this will lead to more roles for her. Actually there isn't anything I could fault about Hard Tide. I had tension, it had dark humour, it had charm. Hard Tide was a great way to start my day (I started watching it at 8am).

The plot is that Jake (Nathaniel Wiseman, who was in the excellent 'Hackney's Finest') is a small time drug dealer on a council estate in the coastal town of Margate. The big crime lord wants to expand and thinks that Jake is the ideal guy to ride shotgun for him, as does Jake's best friend – Alfie; Jake though is far from convinced.

However, events conspire when he gets caught up in the fate of a nine year old girl whose alcoholic father is neglecting her. Whilst he tries to hold things together it soon spirals beyond his control as opposing forces close in.

Now it is nice to see a film made in the faded seaside glamour of Margate. This is also an independent production but they have done really well with a big however; and that however is the fight scenes are a bit badly done. They really needed a good fight choreographer (if that is indeed the correct name). It detracted from the overall effect the film could have had – hence my rating. I did really like it but I may be being glass half full; either way I would watch any future productions from this team.

I don't normally like these English, cockney, ard nut, wide boy gangster type movies but this one was a real joy as it diverges from the usual plot and style and goes its own way.

Super mix of music, interesting photography and some good performances, notably Nathanael Wiseman - I cannot for the life of me understand why he has not gone anywhere after this film as he carries the whole film on his shoulders and you get a real feel for his character and whilst yes as one of the other reviewers has said the acting from the rest of the cast is not great it is the story that matters and for the budget which i imagine was not that much, they did a cracking job.

Its a really rather haunting little movie and the soundtrack is just about perfect along with the visuals. Sometimes you find a gem amongst the coal and this has been a rather good evening's entertainment!

I thought British film-making was dead - Apparently not!