Bypass

In a cinematic landscape dominated by superhero franchises, BYPASS provides a platform for the kind of characters the peerless Alan Clarke regularly gave a voice too. Set in a community that has been decimated by industrial decline, the film follows Tim (George MacKay) as he struggles to hold the last fragments of his family together. Much like Jérémie Renier's character in L'Infant (2005), Tim lives on the fringes of society and survives through petty crime. When faced with the reality of losing his family home, Tim is left with no option but to follow the path that led is older brother (Benjamin Dilloway) to jail – and his circumstances are further complicated by his rapidly deteriorating health.

Although BYPASS is set amongst a social-realist landscape, Hopkin's has infused Tim's world with a striking aesthetic - were dialogue is sparse and the cinematography and sound design propel the narrative. David Proctor's cinematography is beautiful, and as Tim's life spirals out of control the imagery carefully immerses the audience in his increasingly desperate situation. As the central protagonist George MacKay (FOR THOSE IN PERIL, SUNSHINE ON LEITH, PRIDE) is a revelation, and his scenes with Lester (Matt Cross) in particular, bristle with tension and menace.

BYPASS isn't what David Fincher calls popcorn cinema; it demands its audience to engage with its themes, and asks them to reflect long after they have left the cinema

BYPASS is a confident and provocative film which despite another 5 years of potential privatisation, is optimistic for its characters futures. If you truly care about British independent cinema then please ignore the critics, watch BYPASS on VoD* and make up your own mind

*http://www.bypassthefilm.co.uk/

Great performances by a strong cast but what a depressing film. My life is like that most of the time anyway so I didn't really need this further dose of reality.

No explanation of what Tim's medical condition was either. What was the point of that ?

A Q&A session with the producer directly after the screening just reinforced my view of the movie. It was very self indulgent and, for me, missed the mark. The film techniques were very obvious and very contrived. The random, untied threads, that came and went without particular reason were nothing other than irritating. The story was a straightforward one and the subject matter interesting. However "Bypass" neither went anywhere worthwhile, nor offered hope or engagement. Rather a disappointing offering. The only thing that made it worthwhile was George MacKay's performance. He clearly inhabited the character; the pity was that for the viewer we didn't get to see inside his head or heart (or maybe he didn't have one).

An incredibly fluid narrative which powerfully portrays the on-going confusion and despair faced on a daily basis by the central character. Whilst the people out to get him continually change, his living in perpetual fear and anxiety doesn't. The radical approach to the storytelling feels exciting and original, adding a very believable, claustrophobic feel to a life lived in a grim reality. There is nothing Tim can do and nowhere he can go to change his situation because, like the audience, at no point does he have the whole picture. Instead he has to deal with everything that is thrown at him without any support or understanding. The performances are excellent and the film is a devastating watch.

Bypass does a brilliant job of illustrating the grim reality of what life is like when you don't have money. As the deadlines, debts and obligations mount we see the intense pressure put on Tim as he tries to hold his life together. Duane Hopkins' script shows how the UK is at a turning point, as being working class now is an aspiration rather than a reality for many.

Benjamin Dilloway & George MacKay's time together on the screen is a highlight as the two brothers with different personalities, the older street smart hard man & the younger naive innocent tackle the problems life throws at the family.

Chris Barwell's edit plays with space and time, giving a further sense of the lack of control the characters have over their lives.