User reviews

I'm a big fan of Hanif Kureishi -- I think his screenplays for "My Beautiful Laundrette" and "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid" are brilliant. In both of those movies, the worlds he creates are so complete: friends, families, sex, money, expectations and loss all add up to real people doing interesting things in unique situations. The same goes for the book and miniseries "The Buddha of Suburbia," a great exploration of an extended family in 1970's London.

This movie, however, shoots for the same heights but misses badly. Characters are unlikeable. Situations ridiculous. Language is relentlessly coarse but doesn't further the characterizations. Perhaps the hero's quest for a decent pair of shoes is meant as a parable -- if so, it was a rough little story that didn't teach me anything.

Kureishi's other works remain some of my favorites, but after this movie was over I needed a shower. Looking for a good rental? Try "Sammy and Rosie" or "Laundrette." If you have two or three nights to watch the tape, find a video store with "Buddha."

If I'm to like a movie, I need to care about the lead characters and what happens to them. In this waste-pod of a film, I found myself hoping that they would all die in the end. None of the characters are people that you'd ever want to meet, they all made me sick. If not for a few nude scenes, I would have given this wretched movie a 1.

I found this film to be very touching and intelligent in the subtlety of language and human interaction it portrays. It's not overwhelming, as many films with drug/street culture themes are, but, rather, very intent on describing the emotional nuances of the characters' personalities. Unlike more popular films which describe a downward spiral and general glamour of a pathetic existence, this film concentrates on the human evolutionary condition into something better than one was yesterday. The main character is such a sweet personality, that, unlike "Trainspotting," et.al., I really felt emotionally involved in the story, rather than just watching it out of a misguided curiosity as to what it would be like to be an addict. Overall, London Kills Me has just the right mix of "style," drama, and comedy to make it a film I'd recommend for anyone to watch more than once.

See this movie! Sure, the lives of the characters in it are terribly sad, but the only grim sort of sadness I felt, watching this, was due to the overwhelming lack of such richness in most American films. We're talking actors who throw themselves into their parts, rather than ride the oily wave of celebrity. We're talking a script that tackles, with only minute concessions to gimmickry (at times the playfulness crosses over into winsomeness), the true complexity of human beings. Clint, Muffdiver, and Sylvie are multi-faceted, unfolding (but only so far--no easy answers here) characters. The end's a bit tidy, but this remains a minor qualm in light of the film's rewards.

I picked it up at the video store about 10 years ago, because the title caught my eye. I was very surprised to find that the movie was very entertaining; with serious bits, but oh such funny bits too. I loved the wittiness of it. It took me a year before I was able to locate a place to purchase it. I have it in my library now and watch it every so often. I LOVE "Clint Eastwood! Justin Chadwick is perfect as Clint Eastwood.

The characters are very real, and you truly begin to feel for each one of them. Even the supporting cast gives such life to their characters. Of course Steve McIntosh is great as Muff Diver, McIntosh never disappoints with his acting.

I really like this film! Of course the apparent main story of the shoes is nonsense, but I see this as a kind of a modern fairy tale. A very likable, light hearted story of a group of misfits & druggies going on with their life. I could relate to the characters quite well and many of them reminded me of people I know so even though basically they are obvious caricatures, IMO they are based enough on reality to make them fit for a film. The pace of the film is very loose & relaxed, and it has that special kind of... (sorry I'm not a native speaker) serendipity? Surprising beauty of very ordinary things that emerge from the everyday noise & chaos. The scene where the posse visits the countryside is very bitterly beautiful in so many ways.

It's not a documentary, so I won't really go into the subject of it giving a realistic image of the early 90s England or not.

as an extra. To be honest I always thought it would be bad - and sure enough - it is. Hanif was pretty well organised on set - but his 2nd Assistant did more. I thought Justin Chadwick was mis-cast. I am in the last scene in the cafe and I am badly cut earlier on - walking past the cafe then suddenly leaping back 10 paces (only I would notice though)

The problem with it is that even with Brad Dourif in it (met him - nice guy) the film has absolutely no international appeal whatsoever. It is so mired in the late eighties - early nineties that is has no universality and the world it portrays - a rather dull UK with a wasted Alun Armstrong as an Elvis impersonator - is completely misleading for any international viewer.

It's interesting that Hanif hasn't flooded the world since with stuff he's directed - no surprise on this evidence - he's a great writer - stick to that.

The £90 I got went on fares and food - shame it didn't put me off a career as an actor - might have stopped me wasting 2 years at drama school!

I watched this movie when it came out and I really loved it. I loved the characters because they reminded me of myself or of my friends I either had or wished I had. Granted, the story has no grand significance nor does it attempt to. It's simply a tale of a few delinquents living their weird lives in London trying to get something out of life, whether it's a fix, a job, or a pair of shoes.

I rented this movie , just seeing it there on the shelf. I had no idea what to expect. I watched it and thought it was wonderful. Clint is very adorable, very lost, very determined. He is trying to get out and all that matters is his pair of nice shoes. He has transferred all his hopes for a new life and a future outside of drugs in this one very simple thing. Its a beautiful concept. The other characters left me wanting more, but yet being satisfied with that feeling. I was left with the feeling of respect for tiny things that I take for granted sometimes and a great respect for a good pair of shoes or as Clint would say a "cute boot"!

I've only seen this movie once, but I was impressed how important a pair of shoes can become. This film lets us view life from a totally different, strange view. A view of life, as a drug addict sees it, but somehow is not really unpleasant. The film has got the same quality as films like "Trainspotting" or books as "Camden Girls": we are able to laugh about things actually being really tragic. What a pity that this film is known to so few people...