A young Londoner seeks to escape the drug scene by landing a waiter job, but his lack of proper footwear becomes a hurdle. The quest for shoes symbolizes his struggle to break free from a wo... Read allA young Londoner seeks to escape the drug scene by landing a waiter job, but his lack of proper footwear becomes a hurdle. The quest for shoes symbolizes his struggle to break free from a world of addiction and vice.A young Londoner seeks to escape the drug scene by landing a waiter job, but his lack of proper footwear becomes a hurdle. The quest for shoes symbolizes his struggle to break free from a world of addiction and vice.
Joe Alessi
- Plainclothes Policeman
- (as Joseph Alessi)
Yemi Goodman Ajibade
- Tramp
- (as Yemi Ajibade)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
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!
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 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"!
10tinita
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...
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.
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.
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.
Did you know
- TriviaThe title "London Kills me" was suggested to Hanif Kureishi by David Byrne who was just coming from Madrid. In the 80's "Madrid Me Mata"(Madrid Kills Me) was a well known phrase that became popular due to the Magazine "Madrid Me Mata" created and directed by Oscar Mariné (who will later design Film posters for Spanish directors like Almodovar, Medem and De La Iglesia). Soon in the 90's the well known phrase will be used to express the love/hate relationship of certain artists with the city they live in.
- How long is London Kills Me?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Londres me mata
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $170,667
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $16,209
- Aug 9, 1992
- Gross worldwide
- $170,667
- Runtime
- 1h 47m(107 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content