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What Do You Mean You've Not Seen.... Somers Town?

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James King | 14:02 UK time, Wednesday, 10 February 2010

somerstown.jpg

Sometimes, less is more. Sometimes one line can do the work of a million dollar explosion; an expression can be worth a hundred heated arguments; a mumble can pack more punch than a car chase. Brit director Shane Meadows has mastered this art.

Somers Town tells the tiny 72 minute tale of gobby 16-year old Tommo (Thomas Turgoose) running away from his native Nottingham, heading to London where he pals up with a shy Polish teenager Marek (Piotr Jagielo).

For a few weeks that Summer, these two misfits are the kings of Marek's housing estate in North London, running wild and trying to earn some cash.

No attempt is made to repeat either the social punch of Shane's This Is England or the stomach punch of his Dead Man's Shoes, despite Somers Town boasting the star of the former and writer of the latter. In the foreground of Somers Town, however bleak (and black and white) the setting, there's always a ray of sunshine. This is just about two lads arsing about, the acting so casual. You'd be surprised how optimistic that can be.

It may be bittersweet - the film's so short, it's hard work out if there's an ending at all, let alone a happy one. But Somerstown is such a perfect little chatty package (I also use this phrase to describe Isla Fisher), that it's virtually impossible not to fall in love with. It's a titchy triumph.

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