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London River

4/10

Stars: Brenda Blethyn, Sotigui Kouyaté

Director: Rachid Bouchareb

First things first - why is this emotional drama called London River? It's set in London, but there isn't a river in sight. Must have been more appropriate titles knocking around. Second mystery: why does the film have a 12A certificate? There isn't anything in it that justifies it.

Anyway, it's 2005 and the London bombings have just happened. Brenda Blethyn plays an English widow now farming in Guernsey. Sotigui Kouyaté is a dreadlocked forester from Africa now living in France. Each has a common mission - to look for offspring now missing in the wake of the bombs.

Half-way through, they discover that her daughter and his son had been living together.

Seldom can so slight a premise - probably best as a 20-minute short - have been expanded to an hour and a half. Yawns abound as shots of people walking along roads proliferate. The performances are good, but the film is a lost cause long before the twist at the end.

David Quinlan

UK 2009. UK Distributor: Trinity. Colour.
88 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 04 Jul 2010