Who is popular today?

An alcoholic veteran war photographer and her grieving teenage grandson are thrown together in this insightful first-time feature from Matthew J Saville“Give me my gin, you little shit!” It’s a role that only Charlotte Rampling could play: a veteran war photographer famous for her adventuring, bravery and hard drinking. Now almost elderly, ill and perhaps afraid of being alone, Ruth has flown from England to New Zealand to stay with her son. The little shit is her teenage grandson Sam (George Ferrier), recently expelled from school. He’s grieving the death of his mum and is not best pleased to be left alone in the house with Ruth. “I’m not looking after that old bitch.”You can exactly see where this is going from the off. Ruth and Sam – each raging at the world – inching towards friendship and a sense of peace. Still, while first-time feature director Matthew J Saville won’t be winning any awards for originality, he has made an emotionally satisfying film. It’s beautifully acted with insightful things to say about how alcoholism and dysfunction echo unhappily down the generations. Continue reading...