Common

Stumbled upon this this morning and stuck with it as part of my lazy Sunday and oh my God I am so glad and privileged that I did as this is is a brilliant thought provoking insight into the British judicial system, Some brilliant acting performances help tell a story of how an "innocent" trip to a pizza shop results in so many lives being changed forever as the innocent trip becomes something far more sinister!

Having raised three boys of my own, I found this movie very interesting and plausible when it comes to young men going on a group-ride for take-out. Most times they do not always communicate their intentions and thoughts as a group, but enjoy the togetherness of adventure. The driver 'Johnjo' is the driver and very naive and stoic as to the wait time in the car as the others go inside. The morale for me and most parents that might watch this, is to instill in our children that you can be a product of the circumstances that may develop in a group venture without your knowledge. The 'Joint Enterprise' legal entrapment they face is they all played a role in a tragic death that occurred in the small take-away restaurant. I loved the two female mother roles and found them so authentic and heart-wrenching. The key for me was the variations of innocence in each of the passengers and after watching the movie you will make your own determination as to it all coming down to being aware of the personalities you hang out with.

I watched this in 2025 some 11 years after it was made. On BBC4 it was accompanied by a 15 minute trailer by Jimmy explaining his thoughts. The difficult topic is handled very delicately and the overall result is magnificent.

Script - Jimmy McGovern does a marvellous job of representing all parties with empathy and skill yet making it entertaining and gripping.

The Cast - magnificent cast and the acting is really strong throughout.

Soundtrack - great, I'm not sure who does it but it sounds like Robert Wyatt maybe.

Overall - the purpose and message is delivered superbly and this is a quality production I commend you to watch!!

'Common' is the story of four boys who go out to get pizza and come back suspects to a murder. This premise was more than enough to get me interested, and the film did not disappoint. Not only is Nico Mirallegro absolutely adorable as the innocent and scared character of JohnJo, but the telling of the story - the WHOLE story - is wonderful. You see the aftermath of the murder from every perspective - the mothers of the boys' involved, as well as the mother of the murdered boy. It's impossible to know who to root for. Everyone, maybe? This is just one of those films that leaves you questioning who the real villain is, right up until the very end. I'm one of these people who tries too hard to see the meaning behind a films making, but this time? I was too swept up in the story to really see what all this was about. A real and subtle political message wrapped in a great plot, with amazing actors and everything you could really want from a film.

While lacking some back story and giving a few "where did that come from?" moments, overall "Common" is a consuming piece of drama. I was sucked in the moment I started watching. The moral and legal implications of the actions portrayed brings several issues to the fore. However, some of the video clips at the very end are, in my opinion, preachy. They could take away from the viewer's ability to make up their own mind about the law as it stands.

Still, as a production, the direction was confident, the cinematography was sublime and the acting, especially that of the two female leads was nothing less than award-worthy.

Highly recommended.