Keeping Rosy

Oh dear, a simple confrontation that starts an avalanche. If this had been real life, I would hate to be the policeman that has to work out what actually happened... Its an enjoyable watch, though be warned, it will give you that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach. I enjoyed it; it was not complicated, no having to remember a whole load of characters, just a cautionary tale of someone who, when in a hole, should have stopped digging...

Oh and great acting by Maxine Peake.

I've just seen this in a network premier on BBC 1HD. A mixed bag of a film but it all averages out well for me with the cinematography and location - cool grays and Docklands glassy tower block vistas, hardly a soul around - - in a city of over 6 million. But this is where much of the plausibility factor kicks in and takes it down a couple of pegs, but its haunting shots and splendid dramatic acting all round makes me want to go back and watch it again just for the contemporary references & authentic nuance - this is what Cameron's Britain has come to: it has all the key ingredients with estate agents, an undocumented East European employee a Range Rover,and a major cleaning OCD for an obsessive era. There's a lot of clever plot twists but it tends towards allegory and fable as opposed to realism. At face value it's preposterous - but it's a lot more clever and artful than its might first look and the pace quickens nicely. There I go, I didn't give anything away.

Ignore all the puff pieces giving this a high rating(always do this on IMDb) I found this tense and stressful until I started to treat it as a black comedy and then it was enormous fun! Peake is at her white faced stressed best. Try to guess what's going to happen next! There's enough real London footage to give it character, and the isolation of high end loft style apartments is evident. Also the perceived sell out of Northerners betraying their roots down that there London....a treat.

I have to say I was completely blown away by this film. So affected, that this is actually my first ever review. I hadn't heard anything about it, and I'm glad I didn't. Dark, bleak and shocking, it's not an easy film to watch by any means. Superbly directed with an understated hand, the viewer is drawn into the clean, sterile and ultimately lonely world of 'Char'. Maxine Peake was just outstanding in her portrayal of a career woman, with nothing in her life but her job, and when she loses that, her life starts to spiral out of control. I usually hate 'career women are bitter and empty' type films, but not once did I not believe in her. She isn't some stereotype, but a real person, living a real life, rich in money, yet poor in the things that make life worth living. Sure, she's not a sympathetic character to start with but as she loses control she discovers her own humanity. The last minutes of the film left me open mouthed with shock, and yet oddly satisfied. Highly recommended if you like your drama nuanced, with no easy answers..

Seeing the name - a film I hadn't heard of - I decided to watch. Of the 5 reviews I have just read 4 of the 5 tally with my feelings: the one that doesn't actually complains about what makes this film absolutely stunning. This film isn't a gore-fest, has barely any violence, very few characters and a very simple story line; on two occasions I was almost reduced to tears; I had my heart in my mouth and almost stopped watching at one point as I was starting to get traumatised (OK, a bit of an exaggeration...but crazy!). Anyone with children will know exactly what I mean. For a film to do that means it's worked. An easy 10 out of 10.