The Kid

I'm afraid I didn't like this film. I can handle difficult-to-watch with the best of them - I think Tyranosaurus is the best film of 2011, but 'The Kid' catapults us through far too many years, characters and emotions, that it makes one giddy and rather nauseous.

I haven't read the novel and I'm sure that that more successfully tells Kevin's story. An unrecognisable, but usually very beautiful Natascha McElhone is Kevin's almost inhuman mother, a screaming, shouting performance that not only repels but disgraces both the actor and the film and her alcoholic husband (whose actor's name I cannot find) beat, scold and swear at their child that is so over-the-top that it's almost unbelievable.

Understandably, Kevin gets taken into care and at last, credible acting from the reassuring Uncle David, Bernard Hill and Heartbeat's Niamh Cusak, as the school nurse, who finds bruises all over Kevin's body. James Fox comes to both Kevin's - and our - rescue as the kind-hearted and good Alan, a comfortably-off married adopter.

However, where I feel director Nick Moran goes wrong is pitching 'The Kid' as both a gritty, urban Two Smoking Barrels movie and a sentimental rite of passage. They just don't mix. We, OK, I, find it difficult to empathise with Kevin, even and when it turns to running loss-making bars and getting beaten to a pulp in boxing matches (does Rupert Friend seriously look like he has the physique of a boxer?), then I began to dismiss the film more and more.

Yes, the tentative relationship with Jackie (Jodie Whittaker) was both welcome and touching but even that got a bit crazy toward the end. I know many found the film embracing and gripping, but I'm afraid I was left rather cold, with a slightly bad taste in my mouth.

Based on the memoir by Kevin Lewis, The Kid is an intense British drama film which focuses on the theme of child abuse. It is a riveting story, about fighting adversity. It shows that no matter how dark things are, there is a light at end of tunnel.

Kevin Lewis grew up in utter hell, but he didn't follow the same destructive paths as his parents. His mother Gloria (an unrecognizable Natascha McElhone), constantly abused Kevin, both mentally and physically. His father was an alcoholic, whom sometimes helped him and sometimes, gave him a punch. After social services became involved, Kevin was in and out of the system, bouncing from foster home to foster home. He found kindness in the form of a social worker (Bernard Hill), however, his violent inherited attitude became unforgivable to the foster families. Kevin was introverted and fragile in his teen years (played by Augustus Prew), but is able to escape his bleakness with the help of his teacher (Ioan Gruffudd) and the foster parent that makes the biggest impact on him (James Fox).

His teacher was like the good angel because his physical education teacher did nothing to help his situation, even when he saw all the bruises all over his body. But Kevin is tough and smart and just needs a break to fulfill his true potential. Kevin as an adult decides to quit studying to join the striving millionaires, thus attempting to be an entrepreneur.

A kind soul at heart, even adult Kevin (Rupert Friend) is taken advantage of for other people's gain. Even his foster mother turned out to be only looking after her own interests as she wouldn't give Kevin his inherited money or home after his foster father dies. It was important for him to keep the home that meant so much to him as that was the only place where he had some happiness.

Meeting cunning con men along the way and becoming involved in street fights, Kevin soon ended up in the worst possible state. Until, he met the love of his life.

The lovestory is the crucial point in the film showing how love conquers all. His love for Jackie (Jodie Whittaker) is why he wrote the book that the film is inspired by. He wrote the book for the right reasons, out of love. It was originally supposed to be for her eyes only, but she sent it to a book publisher and it went on to become a bestseller. Through the love he felt for his wife he turned his life around. His nightmare became a dream.

Each performance by every actor portraying Kevin were inspiring, however I wish they would have stuck to one actor for the teen/adult portrayals of Kevin. I am sure Augustus Prew could have pulled it off. You have already bonded with one actor and when the actor is changed yet again for the adult Kevin, it starts to take you out of the film and makes it loose it fluidity. You have to get use to them again and their new mannerisms.

One of the first things to strike you about The Kid is the unassuming style it's directed with. Director Nick Moran really captures the 80's grain of TV and film of the time. The way in which Moran directs it just makes it feel all the more real and authentic.

Certainly a triumph over adversity tale, and one that has been told before in different guises, but it's the heart that is put into The Kid that makes it resonate. Everyone involved obviously had a strong connection to the material and the film handles this difficult subject matter with aplomb. The Kid shows you that you have to look in yourself, look at the voice within, and be strong. You also can't rely on other people to dig you out, you must believe in yourself. A fantastic British film you need to check out, just make sure to have tissues handy!

More film reviews at http://breakawaydaily.com

I absolutely hated the time when i was in my early to mid teens. I lived in a dreadful part of London and I went to a school that I absolutely hated. In fact most aspects of my life were not very good. The Kid is a film that charts the life of a lad who was brought up as a teenager at the same time as I was ( the early eighties) and who also had it rough.

This is a gritty, some would say dark , movie that pulls no punches. I loved this film simply because it reminded me a lot of the period it is set in and of small aspects of my own situation. I found this film moving extremely moving and it's a shame it seems to have been released under the radar of most people.

If you can get hold of The Kid I recommend you do. Your in for a rough ride!

British films tend to be either comedies about class (Full Monty et al) or rock hard dramas. This is the latter without a doubt, but it is not out and out gangster violence - it is a serious and thoughtful drama punctuated with several bare knuckle fight scenes and frankly the home life is starker. For my money this is the best British drama since the excellent Brick Lane and it bought to mind most though earlier films of the 80s, the era it depicts, Mona Lisa and The Long Good Friday.

Yes, it is gritty and the script doesn't need any Nick Hornby touches to get to reality - this is a frankly startling look at the underside of an abusive family and the story of the Kid and how he tries again and again from childhood to manhood to get out from under only to find himself trapped again and again by unbelievable twists of fate.

Knowing this is based on a true story adds poignancy.

This really is an involving film, even given the excessive language and violence which in its context is (just about) justifiable.

At the end of the day this was, for me, a brilliant drama, totally engrossing, well-made, the performances were unbelievably believable, though God help the child that has parents like that.....

Highly recommended as being one of the best and strongest British dramas - it captures the spirit of the 80s and the amazing true story involved.

We saw the pre-release showing of THE KID and we were also treated to a pre-film introduction and an after film Q & A session with the films director NICK MORAN (Director - TELSTAR, Actor - Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels, and Harry Potter - The Deathly Hallows parts 1 & 2).

THE KID, is the true story of the despair to riches tale of KEVIN LEWIS who grew up in a violently dysfunctional family on a badly deprived South London council estate, who eventually managed to drag himself out of the quagmire … and up, and out into the sunshine of a decent life for himself … finally getting credit for an internationally acclaimed best-selling inspirational novel "THE KID" based upon his own life story …

The director of the movie NICK MORAN, had a close association with Kevin Lewis (who the film is based on) during the making of the film – and this paid great dividends in the directors ability to capture and portray on film the anguish and torment that occurred through Kevin's life and his struggles to barely survive.

After being removed from his own family for his own safety … then moving through a succession of failed placements with Foster parents and care home institutions … Kevin finally finds a decent environment where he starts to prosper … until the untimely death of one of the foster parents that puts him back into a downward spiral of commitments and debts

Kevin then finds a "pseudo-family" in the form of some undesirable characters from the underworld that offer to help him … but in reality they are just using his naivety to exploit him for their own gain … at much cost to himself … in the shape of some very violent "street-fighting" matches … with no rules and no-holds barred ... appearing under the pseudonym of "The Kid"

Against the odds Kevin manages from the very depths of despair, to finally turn his life around for the better …

The music for the film is inspiring, along with the casting … the three actors who play Kevin through early childhood – through his school years to his later years are very good (especially the parts played by Augustus Prew and Rupert Friend as the middle and later Kevins).

There are strong support roles played by Edward Fox and Shirley-Anne Field as the "good" foster parents and Bernard Hill as "Uncle David" – but the star of the show without doubt is the casting of Natascha McElhone (Californication, Solaris) – just how they can transform such a beauty into such a ugly, murderous, psychopath of a deranged Mother is something to see … she steals every scene she is in … much akin to Charlize Theron's performance in MONSTER … who knows … perhaps Natascha may well follow a similar (deserved) path down the awards trail …

The Director mentioned in the Q&A session that the film was shot on 16mm film – and when this is blown up to full screen size you can sometimes detect a slight graininess with some shots – however I don't think this detracted at all from the ambiance of the film

This isn't meant to be a "pleasant" movie, it is quite hard-hitting (sometimmes literally) … and the violence will not be to all tastes – as it is based on a true story and therefore keeps closely to the narrative of the book … but, I do believe that it is worth seeing … and hopefully you'll get the pay-off of a feel-good factor at the end …

THE KID is 111mins long, comes out on general release on FRI 17th Sept 2010, and it should be noted that the film contains some violence that would not be suitable for all ages