Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002) Reviews

• Excellent British film - value for money

  rob-2362002-05-30

  `Once upon a time in the midlands' is the next instalment from Nottingham director Shane Meadows, indeed it concludes his `Nottingham trilogy' along with previous efforts `Twentyfourseven' and `A Room for Romeo Brass' I saw this film at its world premier as part of Directors fortnight at Cannes, and I am glad to say that it surpassed all my expectations. It's a tale of a loner Jimmy (Robert Carlyle) who by chance manages to see his ex, Shirley (Shirley Henderson) on a television show turning down a proposal from her new boyfriend on national television, this prompts Jimmy to return to Nottingham and try to win her back, along with the Daughter (a brilliant debut from 12 year old Finn Atkins) he also left years previously. There's just a few problems for Jimmy on the way, Shirley's wimpy yet loving new bloke Dek (Rhys Ifans), Jimmys mouthy step sister and her wannabe country singer husband (Kathy Burke and Ricky Tomlinson) not forgetting his shady friends who pursue him down south after he rips them off after a strange robbery goes horribly wrong. All members of the cast shine and its fun to see a `western' style angle being adopted – the classic tale of a loner coming into town to win back his girl, chased by villains and ready for a final confrontation with the man who his girl is now hooked up with. I hope this film gets the exposure it deserves when its released in the UK.

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• Engaging and funny but short on surprises.

  Paul_Andrew2002-09-21

  Brilliantly observed comic scenes of working class domestic life, reminiscent of Caroline Aherne's superb 'Royle Family' sitcom, provide the backdrop for an engaging comedy-drama. All the main actors turn in typically excellent, albeit unsurprising performances: Robert Carlyle does a variation on his Scottish psycho-crim (see 'Trainspotting'), Ricky Tomlinson plays another genial but feckless Scouser (see 'The Royle Family') and Kathy Burke does her no-nonsense council-house Cockney routine (see Kathy Burke). By far the best of the ensemble is Rhys Ifans as Dek. Dek is the most rounded of the comic characters, all of whom are neatly sketched out, not just by dialogue, but by carefully chosen background details. Look out for the hub caps and model car collection in Dek's house and the cases of 'Pot Noodle' in Charlie's loo (which also serves as his office). Assured direction, a well-paced script and some very funny jokes make for a satisfying if somewhat predictable watch.

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• Meadows' worst film.. but still better than average

  paul2001sw-12006-09-14

  Shane Meadows' first film, 'TwentyFour Seven', was dark, intense and arty; his second, 'A Room for Romeo Brass', is one my favourite movies, atmospheric, wildly funny and moving. But this, his third film, is not quite as brilliant, and indeed Meadows has acknowledged it as something of a wrong turn. Compared to it's predecessors, the mood is less claustrophobic, the humour a bit broader brush, and ultimately the movie is less poignant. Perhaps part of the problem is that whereas one of the highlights of Meadows' earlier films were the brilliant performances he coaxed out of largely unknown actors (Bob Hoskins was just about the only name of note in them), this film features a regular gallery of Brit-acting talent: Robert Carlyle, Kathy Burke, Ricky Tomslinson and Rhys Ifans. And while I have enjoyed movies featuring all of these actors, it's a bit hard, especially in the case of Tomlinson, to really see them in their roles, as opposed to as themselves. Sometimes, they almost seem to be performing too hard to fit into Meadows' sparsely filmed backdrops. One can also note that the cod-western theme is pursued with insufficient vigour to really define the movie. I don't want to be too harsh on the film overall, because there are still some very funny moments and excellent acting from Shirley Henderson and the young Finn Atkins. But it's certainly less ambitious than its two predecessors, which set the highest of standards by which to judge their successors.

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• A Small Masterpiece

  MOscarbradley2002-11-27

  Within the space of only a couple of years and with only his third film, Shane Meadows has joined Ken Loach and Mike Leigh as one of the (now) three British Directors whose films are simply unmissable by virtue of their director. Softer and gentler and therefore more accessible than either of it's predecessors, "Once upon a time in the Midlands" is a delight from start to finish. While "Twentyfourseven" and "A Room for Romeo Brass" were almost neo-realist in the Italian sense of the term, "Once upon a time ..." (the title alone eludes to the 'Italian' westerns) makes no such claims on "realism" reworking instead the classic western formula and laying it down in, of all places, Nottingham. Shirley and Dec are happily unmarried in their extended family that comprises Shirley's daughter by her former partner Jimmy as well as Jimmy's foster-sister Carol and her country-and-western mad husband Charlie and their children. Things come to a head right at the start of the film when Dec proposes to Shirley on one of those dreadful TV audience participation shows (Sorry, Vanessa!) and she turns him down. Cue Jimmy, who has seen the show up in Glasgow, to ride into town to claim back Shirley. What begins as broad comedy soon turns, if not quite sour, then at least darker and more poignant. Meadows' achievement is to allow his characters to behave humanely and realistically in situations that are often one step removed from 'realism' (and this time round he allows us the privilege of a happy ending). And if, in the end, it is this sense of the magical that detracts from the hammer-blows of "Romeo Brass" it remains a pleasure to spend a couple of hours in the company of these people. The performances are, of course, superb (and Meadows is the best director of children working in cinema that I can think of). We expect nothing less of Kathy Burke and Robert Carlisle and Ricky Tomlinson but it is Shirley Henderson and Rhys Ifans as Shirley and Dek who are truly magnificent (they make you care deeply what happens to them) and as Shirley's daughter Finn Atkins is a real find. I have just spent a couple of hours recently in the company of the characters who peopled Ken Loach's "Sweet Sixteen" and while admiring the brilliance of Loach's technique, still staggered out of the cinema in a state approaching despair. The lives of the people in Meadows' film aren't necessarily much better but, by God, there's hope there and for now that will do very nicely, thank you.

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• Very disappointing

  profhound2005-04-04

  I'm a huge fan of British films and was so looking forward to Once Upon a Time in the Midlands when I first read about it. It sounded like a sure thing: fun storyline, fabulous cast (Ricky Tomlinson, Kathy Burke, Rhys Ifans, Shirley Henderson Robert Carlyle), all actors I love. There are a few good moments with Tomlinson and Burke, as well as Jimmy's bumbling Glaswegian gang. The standout actor is Finn Atkins, who plays Henderson's daughter. Also worth noting is the soundtrack, which, alas, is apparently unavailable for purchase. And somehow, all of these promising components resulted in something I would've thought an impossibility: a British comedy that lacks charm. Try as I might, I could not care about any of the characters. Henderson's Shirley is whiny and childish, and we're not given nearly enough information on why she's torn between her two equally-immature suitors. Her current boyfriend, Dek (Ifans) is a sweet sad sack, a milquetoast who had me bouncing between wanting to turn away from his relentless pathos to wondering why on earth he's still interested in Shirley after she turns down his marriage proposal on TV, lies to him about where she's going so she can see Jimmy, lets Jimmy move into her house, etc. Jimmy is depressingly hopeless, with none of the entertaining qualities that keep you watching Robert Carlyle's usual dodgy-boy portrayals (e.g., Jo Jo, Begbie, Gaz). There's nothing like that here, not even a hint of the boyish charm that often reels naive or insecure women into relationships with guys like this. He's the consummate unlovable loser who refuses to grow up. He's not particularly dangerous, he has no depth. Like the rest of the characters in OUTM, I never feel I'm given a reason to care about what happens to him. It is to Carlyle's immense credit that he insisted they remove a rape scene from the script. (A rape scene, can you imagine?? This movie was depressing enough without adding that.) Jimmy may be a lot of things, but he never strikes me as a rapist. Finally -- aside from the soundtrack, barren streets and a few long shots -- why oh why didn't the writers expand more on the "spaghetti western" theme? What fun they could've had with that. My disappointment with OUTM may sound a little strident. I guess I feel the impatience of a parent with a gifted child who's not doing his best; with all that potential, I expected more.

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