Strawberry Fields (15)

Film

Romance

StrawberryFields_01.jpg

Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5
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Time Out says

Tue Jul 3 2012

A strawberry farm is the down-and-dirty setting for some serious sister issues in this low-budget British film. A young woman (Anna Madeley) calling herself Tammy pitches up among various waifs and strays to pick fruit in a Kent field. But it’s only when her highly strung, catty sister Emily (Christine Bottomley) shows up to haunt her that we realise Tammy isn’t exactly who she claims to be, and this whole drama – all the shouting, screaming, sex, punches and rolls in the hay that follow – is framed as a purgatory. Tammy is passing from one stage in her life to the next. Director and co-writer Frances Lea hopes to recreate the up-close emotional immediacy of an Andrea Arnold film, but this is a less sure, shakier effort, with some wobbly performances and a more awkward script. But grief and a messy shared history hang in the air like a river mist that won’t clear, and the two lead stars make it worthwhile.

Author: Dave Calhoun

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Release details

Rated:

15

UK release:

Wed Jul 4 2012

Duration:

87 mins

Cast and crew

Director:

Frances Lea

Cast:

Anna Madeley, Christine Bottomley, Emun Elliott, Philip Martin Brown, Florence Bell

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 3/5 (5 ratings)

  • Have to say saw this at the BFI last year and thought was not a great film. In fact very poor in particular, some of the acting.

    chris Sun Oct 14 2012
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  • Johnny, you are mistaken, but I can't understand why you would reach for that conclusion. I really did have my head in my hands. I had hoped for such better. This is quite sincere and not at all bitter. It's not a good film.

    JayVee Wed Jul 11 2012
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • JayVee you sound bitter.. If you read the films description, as you say you did at the outset - you would have known what was about.. Your comments smack of jealousy and its likely that your own ideas have been rejected, by the scheme you love to dish..

    JohnnieB Wed Jul 11 2012
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  • Real characters??? Come on. It was a melodrama. A pale imitation of Tennessee Williams. I remember reading tthe description of this project when it was first commissioned and thought it sounded very promising. The finished film left me with my head in my hands. There have to be better projects out there.

    JayVee Tue Jul 10 2012
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • So refreshing to see fantastic English film that deals with real characters and emotional realities, strong female presence, stunning shots and amazing music from Troubadour Rose. There are difficult moments but all in all I feel this was a brave film to make and we should celebrate another great British film and filmaker Frances Lea, well done.

    Gmun Tue Jul 10 2012
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • overwrought and underthought, disappointing

    Cinematic Sun Jul 8 2012
    Rated as: 1/5
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  • A powerful and moving film. Strong performances and beautifully shot for the money. Not perfect but well worth seeing.

    Jolly Sun Jul 8 2012
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • Another dud from Microwave. It had some artistic ambition, at least, but that ambition was misplaced: despite, the 'landscape as character' nonsense, it would have been better developed as theatre

    JayVee Wed Jul 4 2012
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