Junkhearts

Nineteen-year-old Nottingham actress Candese Reid picked up a newcomer award at the London Film Festival last week for her raw turn in this flawed low-budget feature from noted shorts director Tinge Krishnan. Reid is impressive, but a weak and wayward parallel plot and an unfortunate casting mistake derail a worthwhile attempt to portray an odd friendship in east London between a lonely ex-soldier, Frank (Eddie Marsan), and a homeless teenager, Lynette (Reid). While the film’s more intimate scenes are affecting and nicely played by Marsan and Reid, diversions to visit a wealthy working mother (Romola Garai) on the other side of town, and the entry into the film of Lynette’s boyfriend, Danny (Tom Sturridge, unsuited to the role), are baffling and undermine its attempt to portray the underbelly of London life.