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Nil
By Mouth (1997)
 
Review
Little
Gary appears a few seconds as a bewildered witness to the cruel reality
of eastern London suburbia. Mr. Oldman makes his debut as a
writer/director with this unpolished, in-your-face rendition of his
unglamorous upbringing (allegedly – it is not known how much of this is
actually based on Oldman's own experiences). The film is deliberately
gritty, never allowing the camera to become more important than the role
of observer. Oldman's sense of dialogue and psychological/human
knowledge makes the backbone for his brilliant script. A script that
doesn't break new ground per se, but that is harrowing and disturbing –
it moves fluently from the most brutal, unmotivated and realistic
domestic violence to the cuddly love between abusive father and
neglected daughter. There are no easy escapes and no downright evil in
this world, and that is exactly what makes the film such a challenge to
watch and, at the same time, such a strenuous and rewarding emotional
experience. The acting that Oldman catches on film is at times
enormously powerful – with special nods to Winstone, Burke and
Creed-Miles. That is Oldman's older sister playing the mother. Nominated
for the Golden Palm in Cannes in 1997.
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