Common (2014)

I love this movie so much

The Worst Film Ever

Expected more

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Jimmy McGovern, the man who wrote Cracker and Hillsborough, again gives us a powerful piece of television. McGovern's writing can be somewhat grim at times but is always challenging and thought provoking.The scene at the very end between the two mothers, and the brief clip of the young boy in his cell with the sun pouring in through the window, was incredibly powerful, add in that beautiful song that sadly does not seem to be available to purchase or listen to anywhere but in this drama. Poignant.

'Common' is the story of four boys who go out to get pizza and come back suspects to a murder. This premise was more than enough to get me interested, and the film did not disappoint. Not only is Nico Mirallegro absolutely adorable as the innocent and scared character of JohnJo, but the telling of the story - the WHOLE story - is wonderful. You see the aftermath of the murder from every perspective - the mothers of the boys' involved, as well as the mother of the murdered boy. It's impossible to know who to root for. Everyone, maybe? This is just one of those films that leaves you questioning who the real villain is, right up until the very end. I'm one of these people who tries too hard to see the meaning behind a films making, but this time? I was too swept up in the story to really see what all this was about. A real and subtle political message wrapped in a great plot, with amazing actors and everything you could really want from a film.

If you're reading this review, I might assume that you are American, as I am. This movie, obviously, occurs in Britain, and the subject matter(Joint Enterprise Law) is strictly British. Still, I assure you that this foreignness will not hinder your enjoyment or lessen the movie's criticism of the law.The movie's crux is fairly simple. The protagonist is a 17-year old named Johnjo O'Shea. He drives 3 of his brother's friends to a pizza store, with the sincere belief that they only wanted a pizza. In actuality, however, the trio --- Colin McCabe, Hugo Davies, Kieran Gillespie --- intended to non-fatally confront an enemy, and during the altercation, Kieran Gillespie inexplicably stabs an innocent bystander. Johnjo O'Shea, who waited outside in the car the entire time, drove the trio away. He had no knowledge of the murder until after. Based on those facts, you would assume that only Kieran Gillespie would be charged with murder because only he wielded the knife, no? There is where you are wrong, and there is where the movie's criticism begins and ends.Courtesy of the "joint enterprise" law, all four boys get charged with murder, with the frightening prospect of life in jail. I would say more, but I won't spoil.The movie nicely highlights the injustice of the law. Policemen, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys -- all are frustratingly heartless, devious, or dull in this flick. Joint enterprise becomes glaringly villainous because the viewer feels sympathy towards the protagonist, which arises from his own circumstances as well as the movie's depiction of his mother's worries (well-acted by the beautiful Jodhi May).If I had one criticism, I wish the movie had been about 30 minutes longer (2 hours) to more fully develop the legal process. But this criticism is minor and clearly insufficient to prevent my conferring a 10 rating.

While lacking some back story and giving a few "where did that come from?" moments, overall "Common" is a consuming piece of drama. I was sucked in the moment I started watching. The moral and legal implications of the actions portrayed brings several issues to the fore. However, some of the video clips at the very end are, in my opinion, preachy. They could take away from the viewer's ability to make up their own mind about the law as it stands.Still, as a production, the direction was confident, the cinematography was sublime and the acting, especially that of the two female leads was nothing less than award-worthy. Highly recommended.