Common People

Saw a screening of this charming movie at Clapham Picture House this week. A series of vignettes of the lives of Londoners unfold and intertwine. The stories are believable, funny and poignant.

Beautifully shot entirely on Tooting Common in the days when the sun still shone, it captures the great variety of South London. I live next to the common yet still saw a different aspect of it as we literally get a birds eye view of it in the opening moments. The characters are from all races, ages and backgrounds. Touching without being too sentimental it left me with both a smile and a tear.

It would be great for this movie to get a wider release and it is a testament to what can be achieved on a limited budget. The production values are high and a fine cast of actors bring the stories to life.

I believe this movie has already won awards and deserves to be seen by a wider audience.

Wasn't sure what to expect, but very pleasantly surprised. Although shot entirely in our locality, it has resonance for any people, anywhere. A simple plot-line but with many twists and a few surprises. We were pleased to see the inclusiveness of different races, gender, ages,religions and social classes. There was a deft use of humour in the way all these facets of life were interwoven and it even managed to stay the right side of political correctness without being bland. Both myself and my wife were very impressed by how it all came together it all came together towards the end, and not unemotional either!! Well done - a great film on a small budget.

Beautiful and engaging, this film was my first experience of a non-Hollywood feature film. Once I got used to the "rawness" that this brings I was totally captivated and drawn in. Some of the stories had slightly implausible endings but they were the ones I would have wanted to write myself! The romance, drama, tragedy and humour woven in to the plot kept me going right until the end when it seemed to be almost a fairytale. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a breath of fresh air at the cinema. It captures the essence of London and its many commons with intense detail and characters that can seem fairly straightforward on the surface but have much to tell us about themselves and our attitudes. Hope to see more by the same team before long!

Uplifting and heartwarming story well scripted and a wonderful way to bring the real star of the show, Tooting Bec Common, to the big screen with it's variety of people, characters, social situations, wildlife, trees and general ecology. I have some history on this common having used it as a playground and discovery centre for my children as they grew up and the blend of stories is truly representative of the pattern of life it carries every day. I loved trying to figure out the scene locations, but that's an indulgence for locals. The social documentary also stands out in it's own right. Well done and to the cast and crew for bringing such an adventurous and brave production to fruition.

I saw this film at the Clapham Picturehouse and am so glad I did.

It's a very real, warm, funny, moving and at times bonkers movie. All in all the kind of film that British indies do best.

I'm based in London so I did feel a sense of pride in seeing London and Londoners represented this way in a film, but I think the characters and their stories would translate to anyone from anywhere right now. These are ordinary people facing extraordinary moments in their lives and it was great to follow them all on their journey.

The characters are also so diverse in their ages and backgrounds that I think this film holds something for everyone to relate to, oh and I should also say that the ensemble of actors in this film do a fantastic job. The performances really are top notch, even from the parrot (!) and dogs (bonkers!) I won't say any more, you need to see it for yourself!

To the visuals- The Common it's filmed on looks gorgeous, it's really nicely shot and you feel like you are really 'in there' with the characters, a privileged voyeur, much like the parrot.

Yes, this film does have it's faults, but all in all I'd totally recommend it if you're in the mood for an uplifting film with real heart.