Bypass

Is morality a luxury? Bypass provides the platform to reflect upon this. It's a film that at the moment may only be liked if the 'in crowd' say it's cool. It is cool. It's one of those films that in twenty years time film tutors will automatically suggest their more insightful students watch but why wait? It not only washes the viewer into its own world beautifully by its striking cinematography and sound score that slow dive may gleefully dive towards but more importantly it enables its viewer to think. It enables its viewer to ask why. It enables and instigates its viewer to empathize, really empathize, not feel moved then ten minutes out of the cinema lose the feeling and never remember why. Maybe that's too easy, maybe that's what society wants now, quick bursts of highs and lows with no consequence. Every action, even no action brings reaction. The question is, why aren't we pulling over and is morality a luxury? Personally I thought this film was one of the most important I've had the luxury of seeing for quite some time.

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.

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.

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 ?

Bypass is not the kind of movie I usually go to, but I'm glad I did. It is a gritty, compelling story about a boy trying to become a man, trapped within a society that marginalises and ignores him. He is trying to do good but outside pressure forces him into bad decisions which cause his life to spiral out of control.

The performances were all superb and the cinematography was impressive. It is a shame that it wasn't available in more theatres, for the beauty of the imagery may lose some of its impact on a small screen. That being said, I will be ordering a DVD when they become available, for this is a film I will want to rematch and share with friends. The film forces the audience to think and consider not only the lives of the characters on screen but their own as well. Post theatre discussions continued for hours. It is a rare film these days that makes the viewer think, and Bypass is one such film.