A Rather Enjoyable Failure. Well, at least it's a British film!

Awaydays (Pat Holden 2009)

A really badly made film in many respects and the zero budget is glaringly obvious right from the start. Of course a low budget doesn't make a bad film and can often go in the film's favour, helping to give a film a raw, gritty and more credible feel for example. But good direction doesn't cost anything and here they don't seem to have bothered at all. It often feels like the actors were left to get on with it by themselves - unwise with a cast of [mostly] unknowns. The story is all over the place and characterisation is hamfisted and mealymouthed. So why did I like it so much??
Maybe cus it's British and cheaply made and, funnily enough, it's not some dumb horror? Maybe cus there are no big stars, or celeb endorsements, or product placement, media hype, explosions or smug knowing in-jokes. Maybe it's cus The News Of The World slagged it off? Maybe it's the fantastic soundtrack (The Cure, Echo And The Bunny Men, Ultravox pre-Midge Ure, Human League - pre-split, Joy Division, Teardrop Explodes, to name a few). Or maybe I'm just a sucker for a story about a homo, tortured by self-loathing and unrequited love? Maybe cus it's a failure but at least they tried?
Actually it's all of the above. It's certainly nowhere near in the same league as Control or the best of Shane Meadows (to which some lazy critics have compared it) but despite (and sometimes because of) it's many flaws it's not a bad little film and I really enjoyed it.