Bypass

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.

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/

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.

'A Britain within a Britain' - Bypass is a film that captures the life of those in a post-industrial world. Where Thatcher's legacy is the choice between going hungry or sleeping in a cold room.

I found this film to be a breath of fresh air and a step down a path British cinema hasn't delved for far too long. Portrayals of the working class have become a rarity and austerity has become the norm. To find a film that isn't another form of escapism but has the bravery to point the camera at our own lives should be applauded.

Third Films always reward those that delve deeper into their work, and Bypass is no exception, it is rife with metaphors and solemn themes that act as the undercurrent within the film, adding gravity to the choices Tim must make.

The narrative picks up a swift pace, coupled with the striking cinematography of David Procter, I found myself being pulled through some intense scenes, especially when Tim's illness (a reflection of the world he lives in) begins to take hold. Each pause from the action only adds to the weight on Tim's shoulders which builds and builds to a climactic finish.

George Mackay delivers a performance that makes it hard not to sympathise with Tim's plight, making it hit home that Bypass' setting isn't diegetic, but a place many of us live in.

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.