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Millions (2005)

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From Time Out London

Boyle’s sweet parable about two young brothers struggling over what to do with a bag of banknotes they chance upon is not so gross a departure as you might think for the man who gave us such adult fantasies as ‘Trainspotting’, ‘The Beach’ and ‘28 Days Later…’: like them, ‘Millions’ displays a commitment to interrogating consumer culture, a visual antsiness and a blend of realist and hallucinatory sequences. Written by Michael Winterbottom’s regular collaborator Frank Cottrell Boyce, the story is steered by its two young leads: nine-year-old Alex Etel as the pious Damian, who wants to use the £229,320 to do good; and Lewis McGibbon as his older brother Anthony, who just wants to buy stuff. Together they run rings round the adults (including single dad James Nesbitt and charity worker Daisy Donovan) as they race to spend the cash before Britain’s imminent conversion to the euro renders it worthless – or it falls into nefarious hands. Damian’s humanitarian mission is guided by a series of visitations from the saints he obsesses over, including a spliff-smoking Clare of Assisi and a Geordie St Peter. Though amusing, particularly in the way Damian casually and nerdishly reacts to his heroes’ sudden appearances (‘It’s St Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226!’), it’s unclear whether these encounters are meant to be merely imaginary or something more – St Joseph even pops up to play himself in a school nativity play. Ontological grumbles aside, this is funny, tirelessly inventive and heartwarming stuff, deserving of admiration for its delightfully guileless stand against consumerist inculcation and young Etel, whose buoyant performance lends the film a thumping heart.

Author: NF

Time Out London Issue 1814: May 25-June 1 2005

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