Silver Haze (15) |Close-Up Film Review
Cast: Vicky Knight, Esmé Creed-Miles, Angela Bruce
Review by Carol Allen
She then falls in love with one of her patients, Florence (Esmé Creed-Miles) and they take off together to Southend where they spend time with Florence’s foster mother Alice (Angela Bruce) and Florence’s brother (Brandon Bendell).
The acting is excellent, particularly Knight in the leading role, who was herself genuinely scarred in a childhood fire but exhibits no inhibition or embarrassment about displaying her body when required. Bruce as Alice is also outstanding as the only sane and well balanced character in the story – but her story isn’t exactly joyful.
The film is part of what I term the “British School of Miserabilism”. An unremittingly depressing study in dysfunction with a story which, apart from the central, fairly upbeat and loving lesbian romance, also embraces violence, including sexual assault, homophobia, arson, drug taking and terminal illness. In its telling it also meanders around rather shapelessly and many of the characters sport such strong and authentic Estuary English accents as to be incomprehensible to most people other than real East Enders
In fact it makes Les Miserables look like a light hearted comedy. It’s a beautifully acted piece but real “slit your wrist”, wallowing in depression story material.
