Tube Tales

I saw this last night and was greatly disappointed. When I saw the wealth of great British talent in the opening credits I thought I was in for a real treat but sadly there is not one short movie in this which you could really enjoy. Some were just OK but not one was anything near great, way too artsy fartsy without any real substance. I saw New York's Subway Stories a year before I saw this and it was a great movie. Of the 10 shorts in Subway Stories the only one I disliked was the one directed by Abel Ferrara. Anyone who has watched Tube Tales and found it boring should try Subway Stories, it's far more interesting and it's based on 10 true stories. Overall I give this 4 out of 10, it would have been lower but some of the acting is good.

An overall entertaining collection of stories, which might not have a very clear message but manages to keep the interest alive. Everyday people in everyday situations with a punch of humour or drama. Style over content once again, but that's not a problem for this movie.

This is a collection of nine short stories centred in and around the London Underground, known by the locals as 'The Tube'. Each story has a different director which makes for quite an interesting feel to the film. It was originally made for TV but I don't think that detracts too much from the quality of the piece.

There are some well known actors involved in the project, both from film and (UK) TV. These include, Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Simon Pegg, Sean Pertwee, Liz Smith, Denise Van Outen, Don Warrington, Rachel Weisz and Ray Winstone. I particularly liked the performances of Denise Van Outen in 'Horny', Don Warrington in 'Steal Away' and Ray Winstone in 'My Father the Liar'. Although all the performances were pretty good.

Over all I found this a bit hit and miss. Some stories were great whereas others just failed to hit the mark. It's still a very watchable piece, but, I suspect, one you'll only watch once. I should warn you that there are a few pretty gross things that go on down there, so I advise not watching during a meal. My two favourite segments were 'Rosebud' and 'Steal Away': Recommended, especially for these two.

My score: 6.2/10

Although some segments were poor and some just average, this is worth watching if only for one segment. 'My father the liar' was brilliantly directed by Bob Hoskins, and as always Ray Winstone (the father) and Frank Harper (the station guard who appears in a number of the segments) played their roles to perfection. The real star however was the young boy who played the son. Although only on screen for not more than 10 minutes it is clear that this kid should be a huge British star in the future.

Whilst living in London from 1998 - 2000 there were lots of posters on the London Underground (also know as The Tube, I mostly used the Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines - Knightsbridge is actually portrayed in this film, I think) - The Acid House, Miss Saigon, The Blair Witch Project, Star Wars, Sciencetology (!)....and, of course, given the average Londoner's (if they exist) love-hate relationship with The Underground....Tube Tales.

Tube Tales is a series of short, unconnected films set in and around London's Underground; with one exception (My Father The Liar, directed by the late Bob Hoskins), most are average, albeit with one or two flashes of inventiveness. Like the fleeting strangers you'll meet on your journey, you'll see them only once, before they're quickly forgotten.

What's more noteworthy is the roster of late 1990's talent involved - Kelly MacDonald (Trainspotting), Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock...), Frank Harper, Simon Pegg, a nice pairing of veterans Liz Smith and Tom Bell, Denise Van Outen, Dexter Fletcher, Daniella Nardini....plus directorial debutes from Ewen McGregor and Jude Law.

For all this, Tube Tales never really catches fire the way it ought to have done; still, if you want a few undemanding stories from the Underground, and a peek at late 1990s London, then this is the one for you. Now mind the gap....

PS. I see Sky Arts recently released a program of very good short films a few months ago, starring Sheridan Smith amongst others; does Tube Tales have a legacy of shorts after all?