Chasing Dreams

Something of a gem, writer/director Lindsay's micro-budget independent feature is low on big sets (why worry, if you've got London available), but big on individuality and quirky sensibility. It comes on like a mongrel blend of Jarmusch and Mike Leigh as it traces the lives of a trio of likeable, ever-hopeful non-achievers. Ex-borstal boy Alex tries to make a go of it buying and fixing-up rust-bucket 'motors'; Pat and Dave are struggling with an album (there's an hilarious set-piece with the producer of 'Lucky Records'): all chase girls with a staggering lack of success. Throughout Lindsay shows a real affection for his characters. Often the film is exquisitely inconsequential and disconsolate; it's always stylistically interesting (filters and all); and the ending is great.