Mile End

It's a while since I've been genuinely startled during a film - but this gripping thriller did just that. The two lead characters are beautifully drawn, and I found the development of their relationship engrossing. The complex and sinister story line keeps you engaged and guessing well beyond the end of the film. We were still discussing various plot conundrums long after we arrived home.

Beautifully shot in East London, this independent film was made on a shoe-string budget, but looks like a million dollars! I'm not surprised it was nominated for Best Feature at the Raindance Film Festival. Highly recommended.

Not sure how this movie received 9 out of 9 rave reviews prior to this, but its rating has been way overinflated. This movie feels like not much happens, and it takes a long time for that nothing to happen. In theory there are some events which would normally drive a plot forward, but nobody really even notices them. For a moment, we are tricked into believing that we could care about the characters, but they range from a blank cipher to a charismatic psychopath. Nothing much is explained, despite some attempts to give the characters a back story. This is a _very_ slow burn, with essentially no payoff. Please spare yourself the time.

It is nice to sit down and watch a film that incorporates the elements of superb writing, a haunting soundtrack and brilliant acting to keep you riveted to the screen. There are no gimmicks or high-end effects but instead the seamless coming together of scenes that build into a slow-burn thriller beautifully set against the backdrop of East London. Both main actors do a wonderful job portraying their characters and John is downright creepy leaving viewers thinking about him - and the ambiguous ending - long after the film credits have rolled. I will definitely watch for more releases from writer and director Graham Higgins!

This is a great film. It's such a pleasure to see a film where all the elements come together as perfectly as they do in Mile End. Great casting – I enjoyed the contrast between the leads: one of them so self-contained and desperate to break out of the limiting and mundane nine to five world he finds himself trapped within; and the other so open and genial on the surface but ultimately looking for a 'friend' to drag into his murky, dark and dangerous world. Arnold particularly gave a convincing and expertly controlled performance as the troubled and damaged John. The clever writing created a totally plausible relationship between the two of them and the tension built steadily throughout keeping me gripped to the end. I loved the photography and those big London vistas - good to see the East end for a change. And I only jumped out of my seat once! Would definitely recommend this.

An unsettling thriller with some genuinely scary moments that I didn't see coming and had me jumping out of my seat! The acting was excellent, the hero a totally believable ordinary bloke of the sort you might work with or live next to, placed in a sinister situation which again, you could imagine yourself being drawn into unwittingly. The film develops an atmosphere of creepiness, claustrophobia and menacing psychological dysfunction which is enhanced by contrasting expansive views of the London's riverside, where which much of the action is set. Mark Arnold as John is really scary and threatening- he'd make a very good Bond villain! There are some surprising twists and a really satisfying ending.