Neil's Party

It was always the filmmakers intention to give this film the look of a well lit, Hollywood style movie and I must thank them for that because they succeeded in that endeavor. Too often, British films will be poorly lit with blown highlights and detailess shadows and then try to get away with it claiming that it was deliberately done for an artsy look. That fools nobody and the makers of Neils Party are to be commended for paying great attention to this important detail in film-making.

The films storyline will be understood by anyone who can still remember their own 18th year and though it might be predictable at times it succeeds because of strong performances from the young cast. The performances come across as realistic and believable. it doesn't appear forced or over the top.

To use the American vernacular, it's a cute film and a very good first effort for the filmmaker. it brings a new look to a part of Britain that's rarely shown, not the gritty working class landscape nor the affluent manor houses that have become tiresome exports this past decade. Instead, we are treated to a view of life in a rural market town albeit from an area with the highest real estate values in Britain.

Although I am many years away from my teens, this gem of a film took me back to my own quivering youth growing up just outside London in the late forties and early fifties. Times may have changed but human beings still need to "get it right" (especially exploding teens). A young fresh cast, all unknown to me, were absolutely delightful, it wouldn't be fair to pinpoint just one or two, so my kudos go out to all of them. I predict fine things for them. Their collective contributions guided by a fine director and a script that certainly delivered the goods was top notch. The Film just carried me along on a super ride and one I can heartily recommend to my friends (of all ages. Cheers to a wonderful team in front and behind the camera. Here's to your next one !.

I had the pleasure of catching a sneak preview of Neil's Party last summer when it was shown during the SweetHD event at the Edinburgh Festival. What a little gem of a teen comedy, and from an English production team already! Although a low-budget effort by US standards it really goes to show how you can stretch a buck...er, well, pound then, when there's a neat idea and enthusiastic artistes behind you. The young cast managed to bring a welcome freshness to their roles & the guys in particular really nailed the snappy one-liners to the mast. Shan't spoil the best gag in the film, sufficed to say the Farrelly Brothers now have some fresh competition. The look of the film was also a welcome change from the usual 'grim, gritty' fare we get in the indie UK market - it was all snappy, clean colours and bright high-key scenery. Although this was a work in progress back when, I gather the production team have finished post-prod and the film is now with a US sales agent. Keep an eye out for this one on the VHS/DVD shelves; well worth a look-see if you're tired of the UK faux-gangster genre now swamping the known world.

How many times have I told myself not to watch UK movies? Plenty. This time, however, I didn't pay close attention to the country that produced this movie. "Fortunately," I didn't get to wait long to recognize the putrid ingredients in this poorly cooked slice of a British Pie movie. The flavor of the jokes here totally smells as if they have been picked up and placed on a plate straight from a men's toilet left full after an American party. The guys spoke too much like the blondest social butterflies where they didn't have to and would frigidly say nothing in the parts where I so expected them to open their mouth. The girls had no spice either: they must have been hand-picked by the worst looks in the pool of extras. Choose a movie. Choose a review. Choose where to watch it. But why would anyone want to watch a movie like this?

A delightful cast of inept characters showing the wild side of Uckfield, East Sussex! The movie engages us in the world of sexual desperation and peer pressure on the eve of leaving home for University. Who ever said it was easy being young! Smart pacey dialogue and laugh out loud gags make this fresh look at the UK pre-college scene ideal for a 'good night in' with friends. In the growing world of indie film-making Neil's Party shows that budget isn't everything and that a unique take on a familiar story makes for real entertainment and clever film-making can deliver high production values on screen. Well done to the filmmakers - I'm looking forward to whatever is 'coming soon' from this talented team.