Night People

I saw this film last night and was very pleasantly surprised. I really liked it! The photography was stunning, I loved the subtle differences in the night shots of Edinburgh as the time passed, using the changing light brilliantly. Wildlife-in-the-city shots were also unexpected and this was a clever way to change scenes. For a film that has a supposedly micro budget it had the look of a film with very high production values all round. I liked that there were proper endings to the stories, sensible, believable endings. Not too predictable, we could see the end was coming as it was getting near the morning, but each story could have ended differently, and I think that the audience cared about the characters stories. There wasn't one poor performance from any of the actors, and it's to Adrian Mead's credit as Director that they carried off the comedy as well as the drama. And the little girl? Where on earth did they get her? She was wonderful but I don't think I could stand her if she was around my house all day! It would be unfair to say that this is one of the better Scottish films of recent years, it could quite easily be one of the better British films.

I have just finished watching 'Night People'.

At first it felt dark and despairing but the vision of hope and positivity and the essential goodness of people emerged very convincingly and compellingly.

The direction, acting, cinematography the whole work of art was so moving - a Scottish film where people talked real talk with none of that ranting that often emerges as shorthand for how we Scots are supposed to communicate.

The stories and the characters were all engaging and the twists towards optimism from such an initially bleak context were laden with hope and redemption, and an unexpected degree of humour.

Kerr and Mead can be justly proud of this achievement.

great film, beautifully shot. Full of warmth and promise throughout the difficulties in life that people are faced with. Each of the characters' tales lead them into a pivotal point in their lives; an immigrant priest confronted by the harsh reality of life, out with the confines of his religion; a single mother forced to ferry drug dealers around in a taxi at night, unable to find a day job or a babysitter to care for her daughter; a mistreated teenager, off to find a better life in London; a single father, struggling to come to terms with the responsibility of raising children without their mother. The film is full of dialogue; conversations and exchanges, written like a series of concurrent plays. Edinburgh is used cleverly; the shared stage, blending beautiful shots of the city at night into the stories, the city itself an additional, overseeing character. A fine debut working wonders with a small budget.

I found Night people to be an enjoyable and refreshing film. Although the script deals with some difficult subject material it never feels miserable or heavy handed it has a lightness of touch and a fresh attitude about it. An ambitious project made by a first time feature director and a young inexperienced cast I think it should be lauded as a very impressive piece of work and held up as an example of what it is possible for a low budget production to achieve. It is a well written piece, thoughtful and true, funny and sad in the right places, all concerned in the production deserve congratulations for making a brave and original film. The positivity in each of the characters stories and the beautiful photography of night time Edinburgh, the film's real star, conjure up a charming fairy tale quality that shines bright throughout. I think it's a film about hope and the nature of human spirit. I found it to be inspiring and uplifting

Set in Scotland's Capital City, Edinburgh, on Halloween night. This is a beautifully shot film with excellent performances from a promising ensemble cast. A young boy who has run away from home meets with an enticing stranger. A Priest whose faith is being tested to the limit encounters a young girl sleeping rough with a dark secret. A mother with an impossible dilemma is forced to take her 5 year old daughter out on a risky journey and a single father makes hilarious attempts to cover up a crime committed out of love for his kids.

A stunning debut from Director Adrian Mead. Night People, does indeed take us on a journey. Dark and despairing in places, filled with hope and compassion in others.