New Year's Day

There may be a halfway decent film trying to wriggle out of this mess, but as with another British disaster movie (of the unintentional kind), Crush, this film is killed by a ropy screenplay and some horribly two-dimensional characterisation. Michael Kitchen is a fine actor, but his performance here as Stephen's father is just shocking; he could probably drag the scriptwriter down the plughole with him, but either way he is not going to be a movie star if this is the sort of project he gets saddled with. Marianne Jean-Baptiste (another fine actor - when is she going to get another part as good as Secrets & Lies?) is quite unconvincing as a counsellor, in a seriously underwritten part, pretty much the only kind there is in this film apart from the two leads.

As to the two main roles, they have a few good moments, but are asked to make us believe the implausible and the indefensible by the script. The "operation" scene is laughable, which perhaps was the idea, although I would have thought we are supposed to be laughing at the horror of it all, not at the ludicrousness of the action. And when it came to the drug scenes, I confess I eventually had to fast forward through them, so embarrassing were they.

"Crush", incidentally, was almost called "The Sad Fuckers Club"; I'm sure that it was in the task of sanitising it for our protection that a good idea turned into a terrible film. I wonder if this film had a similar working title...

I originally found this in the queer section of a shop ( I think the management could use a little guidance, as they placed GET REAL alphabetically in general circulation. Actually, New Year's Day at its core is about two very tight school mates who try to deal with being the only two survivors following a horrible avalanche that claims everyone else on a holiday school trip.

I understand that some viewers might find this film a little plodding, and others will see the principal characters as simple hooligans checking off their list of twisted chores in their 'book of life'. There's room for opinion here,except that which maintains the two boys don't care for each other. Probably the most memorable line spoken is when Jake tells Stephen, and I paraphrase, ' i saved your life before. I'm not prepared to help you die, now'. I hope viewers will take a chance on this film, if only to watch that scene.

An unappreciated classic. A heartfelt story of friendship - kind of like a British Stand By Me.

Carefully crafted and full of passion.

Boasts a truly brilliant cast, including the great Sue Johnston, Ralph Brown, Michael Kitchen and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

Loved the soundtrack as well.

Shouldn't ignore the sterling background performance of a young Kerry Ross either. I always thought she'd go on to win an Oscar as she had a touch of the Audrey Hepburn about her. An unfulfilled acting talent.

Always hoped there would be a sequel. Alas, it was never meant to be...

Anyone who has ever wondered what teenagers would get up to if they were freed from any obligations to their future will find New Year's Day quiet an interesting little morsel. A psychologist's dream study, it's also a rather effective film. MP's son Steven and under-privileged Jake are best friends at school. The desperation of each others parents, the 16-year-olds even have their own language. When they go on a school Christmas skiing trip, it's a great adventure. But it turns quickly to tragedy when on the first day the group of 11 friends is hit by an avalanche, and Jake and Steve are the only survivors. Returning to England, the pair are swamped in the emotion of a grieving town and a mass funeral (a particularly hard-hitting scene sees a long line of coffins on their way to the grave). As the townsfolk try to come to terms with the loss, Jake and Steven feel separated from everyone - that they should have died in the avalanche as well. So near the start of the film, on New Year's Day, we find Jake and Steve on a clifftop, ready to jump to their deaths - then deciding to live another year, to do the things they dreamed of doing. To cheat fate for a year. And so the film sets off apace, with the pair on a plan to rob a bank, burning down buildings, perform surgery, and so on. Director Suri Krishnamma sets the pace well, with the lads' exploits starting off in high spirits but slowly, uncomfortably, taking a darker turn. The two leads Andrew Lee Potts (Jake) and Bobby Barry (Steven) are both excellent, giving their characters a real sense of depth and direction. On the other hand, the ancillary characters are never really developed, and the film falters particularly in the uneasy sections with counsellor Geraldine (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), who doesn't quite hit the right note as a social worker. On the whole though, this is a well filmed piece of work - emotional and dramatic.

This film really deserves to be seen by the general public! I was really impressed, because I didn't really know what to expect of it. But I was thrilled! Great actors, an interesting, original story (although it sometimes reminded me of other British movies, like e.g. A Clockwork Orange and Beautiful Thing, but those were also great!). It's just a very fine and well directed piece of cinema! I also liked the music very much! I hope it finds a public!