I was put off by the hand held camera and the fast editing. Great script and story but a wasted opportunity

Brilliant movie Directed by Gary Oldman with a top performance by Ray Winstone.
Even Mo from Eastenders pops up in a descent role and i never knew she was Oldmans sister in real life.

Gritty, with stark images of a run-down South-East London. British working poor in a movie directed by a man who knows what he's talking about. Gary Oldman's directional debut is nothing for the sensitive amongst us. Swear words are a constant compan... (read more) Gritty, with stark images of a run-down South-East London. British working poor in a movie directed by a man who knows what he's talking about. Gary Oldman's directional debut is nothing for the sensitive amongst us. Swear words are a constant companion, especially for the sad main character Ray (a brilliant Ray Winstone), a family man with a knack for brutal endeavours that too often end in alcoholic frustration, with wife and son suffering form more than just cuts and bruises. Lost in life - an oftentimes moving and shocking family tragedy about common people having common problems but who're unable to really deal with them. "Nil By Mouth" is like a smack in the face. But a healthy one.

Winstone and Burke are fantastic, although the unrelenting bleakness is a bit too much for my tastes.

Aside from being a film second in the history book for the most occurrences of the word "fuck", Nil By Mouth is an incredibly powerful portrayal of director and writer Gary Oldman's experiences growing up on a London council estate.

Full Review:

ht... (read more) Aside from being a film second in the history book for the most occurrences of the word "fuck", Nil By Mouth is an incredibly powerful portrayal of director and writer Gary Oldman's experiences growing up on a London council estate.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/nilbymouth

Electrifying East End drama from possibly my favourite British actor, Gary Oldman, who writes and directs a very personal, truthful and frank account of the trials and tribulations of a dysfunctional family. The family, lead by the incredible Ray Win... (read more) Electrifying East End drama from possibly my favourite British actor, Gary Oldman, who writes and directs a very personal, truthful and frank account of the trials and tribulations of a dysfunctional family. The family, lead by the incredible Ray Winstone in what has to be his finest performance to date, are involved in a little bit of everything from drugs to domestic violence. It is Ray’s character, called Ray incidentally, through whom much of the violence and anger of the film is channeled. Nil By Mouth is an explosive tale of a family in decline mainly due to the weaknesses of the man within it and how their erratic behaviour creates a domino effect in the fortunes of those around them. A difficult watch due to the subject matter and realism of the performances and direction and if you feel as though the film has gripped you by the throat while watching then you certainly were not the only one. Would it be too much to say that this is possibly the best British family ever made? Displaying all of the gritty realism which perfectly reflects the mood of the time in such environments, the desperation of coming to terms with a Thatcher government which had little time for the little man, causing him to retaliate by creating an environment in which he is the undoubted king…..a status achieved by any means necessary, most of which are not honourable.

Great acting. Psychologically interesting; gradated picture of anger and temperament. Dialogue was good as well. However, the quality of the narrative decreased in the middle (but accerelated towards the end, fortunately).