Borstal

The acting was terrible and really not sure how Patrick Kirkpatrick turned up here with an English accent as the governor set in the UK in a seventies Borstal for young offenders.

What can i say that other reviewers have not covered? just summing it up in a few words this is probably one the worst films i have seen in a while and i rarely turn a film off before its end. usually i get settled in my comfy armchair and loaded with cold drinks and popcorn i stay settled for the duration whatever but this had me choking on my popcorn as i was falling asleep, it was boring in both action and content and the story line was less interesting than people watching in a branch of my local coffee shop. i could not have given a lower star rating than 1 but if i could i would have given it a minus 3.

If this was a piss take, it would be mildly amusing. But it's not, so it isn't. What is the purpose of this film? Incredible that someone would fund this thing. I think Grange Hill was better!!!

Set in 1971 this relates the story of Kris Gray who was sent to Borstal for drugs offences. This is based on the book by Gray and he also wrote the screen play. Then once he gets there he is treated badly by the nasty screws and some of the staff are forward thinking and nice.

He also has his co detainees who are again either nice to him or horrid. He though is an aspiring musician and so his 'rock star' status gains him equal numbers of admirers or haters and one of these becomes a sort of love interest.

Now the first thing that happens in this film is the 'fourth wall' is broken when Gray speaks to the camera stating that he is 'off to borstal' – like we had not worked that one out. This is done numerous times thereafter and is a case of personal preference as to whether this adds or subtracts from an artistic piece. There is also no shower scene – I mean it's the law isn't it?

The other thing is after his groundbreaking announcement we have a montage of what is going to happen to him – this is all the violent bits – and then back to mundanity. Now some of the acting is really good and some is rather poor. The sound does vary a bit but it is not disastrous. We also have a bit of wobbly cam action – and we all know this is done to try to make out the on screen action is actually better than it really is. So for me this left me non plussed – and the sound track leaves a lot to be desired too – so only go for this if you like all indie Brit films or you were in it – this is not even in the foothills of 'Scum'.

This misses the mark on so many levels... What is it trying to be? This question is core to the films long string of misses...

As has been stated elsewhere, the actors are good, their track records on other mainstream and indie fare is widely recognised and their performances here are what makes this uneven and inconsistent film vaguely watchable.

There is so much potential material in the original story (not that it was particularly well conceived, but... ), that could have been explored and exploited... but it has been muddled into a visionless and amorphous mass...

Forth wall only works when it is juxtaposed against stark reality, consistent plot and character development.

This lacks the direction, dedication and understanding of genre necessary to make it work...