Somers Town
I didn’t really have the intention in seeing Shane Meadows new film at the cinema but a few events have conspired to make such a visit appropriate. Firstly, I have wanted to check out the Gate Picturehouse cinema in Notting Hill as it’s one of the few independent cinemas I still haven’t visited, my parents are visiting so that kind of restricts the type and tone of movie to see (‘The House By The Cemetery‘ was playing in Ealing but Mum’s already seen it) and I just fancied a change from a summer of American blockbusters. Notting Hill is also somewhere I have explored very rarely – I went to Carnival about ten years ago but have had little reason to return to the area in the intervening decade. Just like the film this vibrant sector of north west London is of course a clean swept litter free area, there’s no graffiti or fly-posting, no Asian, Black, Afro-Caribbean, Oriental or Indian people around and American film stars loiter on every street corner. Just like the movie. God I hate that movie.
Meadows reunites with his young muse Thomas Turgoose in this tale of friendship, young love and Eurostar. Tomo flees Nottingham for the bright lights of London for undetermined reasons (although it is hinted that he was in a foster home) only to find himself destitute and penniless after a run in with some violent yoofs. In a cafe he hooks with a young Polish boy called Marek whose father is working on the Kings Cross rail expansion and living within the adjacent Somers Town community. The boys become firm friends, both falling in love with the beautiful Maria who works at their local cafe. That’s about it.
It’s such a refreshing change to hear British accents and jokes on the big screen now and again don’t you think? Another echo of the British socialist realism movement is delivered here by Meadows in his usual witty, well observed and uniquely British way. It’s a bit slight at only 75 minutes but hey, anything to support his efforts and tangentially the independent UK film industry eh? You may have heard of the product placement controversy as the film was funded by Eurostar and of course features a journey on the rail service as a major part of the plot. I loathe product placement in principle but I have to concede that if there is one person for whom you’d turn a blind eye to such shenanigans it would be Meadows. He’s a man who has to struggle tooth and nail to get anything made as he seeks no funding from any of the US Studios or those affiliated with them, especially after being badly burned after the butchering of his ‘Once Upon A Time In The Midlands’. Besides, its not as if the Eurostar branding is even seen in the film or ever mentioned to be honest, there’s none of this intrusive evil.
It looks like Meadows will finally get his dream Romany gypsies film made. I wasn’t hugely impressed with Notting Hill, it was a bit identikit same brand restaurants and shops that you’ll find anywhere else in London (Or England for that matter) but I did pick up VHS copies of the ‘League Of Gentlemen‘ Season 2 and Spike Lee’s ‘Do The Right Thing’ for a quid and this book for a fiver in a pretty cool cinema specialist shop toward Notting Hill Gate. Result. Anyway, here’s some links to some of the best films I can think of in so called working class kitchen sink dramas that have blessed our screens over the years, Meadows is a worthy heir.
Minty's Menagerie 
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