Ray & Liz

Poverty and despair are depicted in painful, beautiful detail in this autobiographical debut film from Richard Billingham. The performances are subtly brilliant and the overall attention to detail makes this feel more like a documentary at times. As such there's not really a story here but a glimpse into the lives of a dysfunctional family at a very specific time and place. This is not easy viewing but stands as one of the best films I've seen in years.

Firstly it's set in the Black Country - NOT Birmingham! Lots of very authentic scenes, very well done. A lot of people will struggle with it, but having been brought up around the same time, I can see the parallels.

It think it is unfair to think of Ray and Liz as wholly unlikeable because it is a surface level interpretation and it unsympathetic view on the audience's part to what drives the character's negligence. Clearly, they are two deeply flawed characters whose lack of humanity, or negligence, is driven by their constant battle to survive in a very bleak era.

There is nothing admirable about these two characters but the film definitely delivers a strong social message about the fate of the vulnerable in a society that ordinarily and continues to look down on them without remorse. In that sense, you begin to understand that Ray and Liz are the way they are because society has treated them cruelly and swept them out of view.

Ray & Liz 2018 (on film4 ) it's a grim study of a family (2 boys) living in poverty with their parents. I'll say it again It's grim, the parents have little aspiration beyond the day to day existence but for the kids it's about surviving. The film made by the older of the two children, he clearly escaped the rut of poverty. It's immensely watchable in a fly on the wall kind of the way ( watch the film to see what I mean) Essential viewing for fans of social realism. 8/10.

Definitely not a film for taking your partner on a first date Sadly there are families like this all around Britain.

Well done Richard for giving them a voice so authentically. Every actor was brilliant and like all good writing was given time to show their situation.

The child actors were amazing .little angels I wanted to wisk away to something better.

The parents needed to attend a 'SureStart' centre.

I hope this director gets the chance to further his career.

A worthy successor to the wonderful Ken Loach.