Depressed? Gay? Anglophile? This is the one for you. Davies' bare
chronicle of his childhood is saved from barrenness by the accuracy of
the script and the commitment of the performances. Far from a Mike Leigh
sentiment(ality), Davies concentrates on the detail: the exact look
of the kitchen, the downturn of a mouth, the texture of light through
rain. He gives equal consideration to people and the world around them,
a painterly quality that gives the film a stillness despite the
anguished lives of the characters.
