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Hallam Foe (2007)

Time Out rating

Average user rating

10 reviews

Synopsis

Hallam Foe is a boy haunted by the enigma of his mother’s death. His belief that his alluring stepmother murdered her soon turns into an obsession, and his only resort is to flee the family nest for Edinburgh. Once there, his talent for spying on people leads him to roam the city’s rooftops, where he catches a glimpse of Kate, a young woman who looks uncannily like his mother. A chance encounter between the pair develops into a strange relationship that cannot possibly last.

Movie review

From Time Out London

Who or what is Hallam Foe, you ask? Hallam, dear filmgoer, is a young chap, played by that kid from ‘Billy Elliot’, who we are supposed to find charming and likeable and sympathetic and quirky (cue David Shrigley’s opening credits and a soundtrack of Scottish indie-folk), even though he’s an unfathomable, slippery little sod whose character it’s easy to enjoy episodically but, ultimately, nigh on impossible to believe. For his fourth film after ‘The Last Great Wilderness’, ‘Young Adam’ and ‘Asylum’, Mackenzie has once again plumped for an adaptation, this time of Peter Jinks’ novel, and the dark side of sexual psychology. Oedipus wrecks, said Woody Allen; Oedipus sustains, says Mackenzie.

Hallam (Jamie Bell) is reeling over his mother’s death – apparently suicide – by spending a lot of time pretending to be a badger in the garden of his wealthy father’s (Ciarán Hinds) estate. He’s sure that his dad’s new woman, Verity (Claire Forlani) is behind his mother’s death, but still he has sex with her when she rubs his crotch. Perhaps wisely, Hallam escapes to Edinburgh, where he smiles more, lands a job in a hotel and has a romance with the hotel’s cute manager, Kate (Sophia Myles). Yet weirdness persists and he fills his evenings by clambering over rooftops and spying on women through windows.In a committed but unconvincing performance, Bell gives us creepy Hallam, feral Hallam, lucid Hallam, romantic Hallam, screwed-up Hallam and carefree Hallam. Each incarnation is a new chapter – only from entirely different books. Complex characters are desirable, but Hallam doesn’t add up. As a study of grief, this is silly and nonsensical. Taken less seriously, Mackenzie delivers a light dance over heavy issues, and the romance works – but how flippantly can we take death, grief and suicide?

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 1932: August 29-September 4 2007

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User reviews of this film

palmer said...

Posted on Sep 15 2007 00:22 Ifound the film trite. yes, this boy is messed up but essentially lost in grief, grieving his mother, love and in the grief of realising people fuck themselves and others over,often willingly. Here's the woman he uses to feel better about himself, here's the woman as hate figure, here's the woman he lusts over...and the film dances over it...but it does higlight it at least briefly. some lovely moments but for me, mostly irritating.

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electricsquirrel said...

Posted on Sep 10 2007 23:33 Funny, twisted, touching, and with a hero who wears a badger on his head. Splendid film, very enjoyable indeed.

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Jen said...

Posted on Sep 10 2007 19:54 This film is excellent. I loved it all. I felt the emotion, found it humorous in places. Reading Time-Out's review I sort of can agree, but if you can accept it for what it is, then I'm sure you will get a lot of pleasure from it.

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Jenny said...

Posted on Sep 10 2007 19:53 This film is excellent. I loved it all. I felt the emotion, found it humorous in places. Reading Time-Out's review I sort of can agree, but if you can accept it for what it is, then I'm sure you will get a lot of pleasure from it.

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louise said...

Posted on Sep 10 2007 10:57 A triumph. Brilliant film which I thoroughly recommend.

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Fiona said...

Posted on Sep 09 2007 19:13 I almost didn't go to see this film after reading the rather lukewarm reviews. What a mistake that would have been. This is a sensitive, funny, well-observed film - a real triumph.

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hettie said...

Posted on Sep 07 2007 21:09 lovely to see how fantastic jamie bell is at climbing though shame about the film. scotland is the most beautiful country in the world and the cinematography didn't do it justice. the range of emotions that hallam had to display was too much without something happening. dull. dull. dull. for the first time in my life i left the cinema before the end of the film though to be fair i do have a very hot boyfriend ......

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pdw said...

Posted on Sep 07 2007 05:04 Dave Calhoun's review of thise film (see above) is trite and shallow. Can't Time Out do better?

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coccolebocco said...

Posted on Sep 03 2007 21:32 Absolutely fabulous movie.Fantastic scenary, believable acting, great music and a couple of good shagging scenes!

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Arlene said...

Posted on Aug 31 2007 20:54 I think Hallam Foe is a fantastic film which i think people will talk about for a very long time! Absolutely brilliant.

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