One for the Road

If you're familiar with the films of Shane Meadows then give this a try. Located in the same region (Notts) as SM bases his films this has the same dry, deadpan humour with dark undertones and real settings.

I don't like making direct comparisons and although I've used Shane Meadows as a reference I think this stands on its own as a quality piece of work. The principal characters are pathetic to a man, drink drivers compulsorily attending a course to try to get their sentences reduced. Delusion plays a big part in their make up, almost endearing in their hopeless optimism. A British film that doesn't depend on cockney chancers and tasty geezers. Thank f........... See it/rent it/buy it. Simple as that.

One For The Road' is a low budget British production directed by newcomer Chris Cooke.The story centres around four men, convicted of drink driving and who volunteer to take a rehabilitation course to have their bans decreased. The film is a kind of cross between The Office and Glen Gary Glen Ross, in a pub, with each problem one of the individual's meets sorted out by necking a few down the boozer.

The film is quite a downbeat affair but is interspersed with some great black, but witty humour and some nice one liners.

"There's something we're supposed to do in these situations and until we think of it we should stay calm."

'One For The Road' is by no means a laugh feast but neither is it a dour depressing experience-highly recommended and very admirable debut from Cooke.

I love comedy so much I'm willing to travel across London at 10:30 am to see

this one. I did laugh - not as much as I should've but that's the producer's mistake for putting on a screening at this unfunny hour. Really great premise of pulling together a group of comedy losers at an 'alcohol re-education seminar for convicted drunk drivers' and some wonderful characterization, especially the stoned slacker 'Mark' played brilliantly by Mark Devenport.

The reason I made the extra effort to see this movie was that it said it was

improvised, it wasn't. Had the team realized sooner, that you can't easily use the power of impro in this medium, they'd've written a better script that the initial idea suggested. Shot on DV for reasons which even after the Q&A with the

writer/director/producer/editor et all were never explained, the film suffers for it. The DP didn't pull his weight, pity, he gave us TV not cinema.

This is a promising writer/director and although he says he has no ideas

himself, he obviously knows where to get them. He'll have learnt a great deal making this film and his next film will benefit from it.

Bring on the next one.

there is a definite 'mike leigh' overtone here both in terms of the realism and the male female relationships, particularly between the main character and the barmaid, and thats a good thing. the 'comedy' derives from the relationship between the characters. you are meant to think these guys met on a booze rehabilitation course and don't give much of a monkeys about it apart from getting they're licsense back and thats exactly what you will think because of the excellent casting and acting. one thing i really like in films is when you go 'cool, i never would have thought of doing that' anyone else that shares that view should see this. remember when channel four films were making great stuff? this would have been up there with comic strip.

One For The Road is a dark, daring and painfully funny exploration of men, drink and friendship. Never patronising the audience or offering easy justifications for its characters often repellent behaviour, the film nonetheless builds up an intoxicating mood that echoes the characters own descent into booze and violence. With great natural performances all round -especially from Greg Chisholm as the nominal 'hero' Jimmy, and from Mark Devenport as a carless taxi driver - and looking like little else being produced for the big screen in Britain today, One For the Road feels like a breath of fresh air, albeit tinged with the stink of booze and puke.