Wild Bill

"Extraordinary"

Wild Bill Review


British actor Fletcher makes a terrific directing debut with this sharply told story of a family struggling to survive in a bleak environment. But this film is so full of hope that it thoroughly engages our emotions even when things get scary.

Since their mum left nine months earlier, 15-year-old Dean (Poulter) has been taking care of 11-year-old brother Jimmy (Williams) by working in construction at the Olympic park. But Jimmy is failing at school and getting increasingly involved with a gang of local drug dealers (Gregory, Maskell and Rheon). Then after eight years in prison, their dad Bill (Creed-Miles) comes home, realising that he must show some responsibility to keep his sons from being taken into care. But they don't know him, and he doesn't know anything about being a father.

Unlike in most movies set on grim British housing estates, Fletcher balances the danger with warmly drawn characters who are complex and engaging. At the centre, Creed-Miles is superb as Bill, a former wild boy trying to go straight, much to the annoyance of his former gang. So when he realises that they have co-opted his younger son, he struggles with what to do: merely associating with criminals is a violation of his parole, so rescuing Jimmy may risk everything.

Meanwhile, Poulter delivers yet another bristling performance as an angry young man trying to hold things together, more than a little annoyed that his long-lost dad is upsetting what he thinks is a workable life. Meanwhile, he's falling for Steph (Spencer), a young mother living with her drunken dad (Warren). And he's also annoyed that his dad brings home a woman (White) whose own life has taken a nasty turn.

Fletcher gives this the snap of real life, filling scenes with raw humour and a sense of dark menace that never feels cranked up for cinematic purposes. But then, it doesn't need to be: there's no quick solution for this fragile family.

Even the helpful parole officer (Williams) and care worker (Winstone) carry an underlying threat. And it's through the detailed characterisations that this film manages to both surprise us and move us deeply.



Wild Bill

Facts and Figures

Run time: 98 mins

In Theaters: Friday 23rd March 2012

Distributed by: Cinedigm

Production compaines: STS Media, 20ten Media

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 4.5 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Fresh: 25

IMDB: 7.2 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director:

Producer: Tim Cole, , Sam Tromans

Starring: as Bill, as Dean, as Terry, as Glen, as John, as Helen, as Roxy, Sammy Williams as Jimmy, as Dicky, as Kelly

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews