Although it's nice to see Mackenzie find uplift in the erotic, what helps drive Mister Foe is how deftly he turns chasm into intimacy between Bell and Myles, both of whom give sharply observed, charismatic portrayals.
Mister Foe (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:60
Fresh:43
Rotten:17
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: Carefully balanced between the dark and the dreamy, Mister Foe is a charged coming-of-age story with whimsy and bite.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong sexual content and language.
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Sep 5, 2008 Limited
Synopsis: MISTER FOE is director David MacKenzie's offbeat film adaptation of Peter Jinks's coming-of-age story centered on the unlikely protagonist of Hallam Foe, excellently portrayed by Jamie Bell (BILLY... MISTER FOE is director David MacKenzie's offbeat film adaptation of Peter Jinks's coming-of-age story centered on the unlikely protagonist of Hallam Foe, excellently portrayed by Jamie Bell (BILLY ELLIOT). A troubled young man beset with voyeuristic tendencies and a strong Oedipal longing for his dead mother, Hallam is a sensitive and volatile teenager who has taken to spying on his stepmother, Verity (Claire Forlani), who he suspects is responsible for his mother's death by drowning two years earlier. When a charged psychosexual confrontation with Verity stokes the fires of his unresolved grief, Hallam flees his father's country estate for the picturesque Scottish capital of Edinburgh. There, he sets his sights on Kate (Sophia Myles), an attractive hotel manager who happens to bear a striking resemblance to his late mother. Soon, through a bit of charm and more than a little stalking, Hallam scores a menial job under Kate's employ; romantically--or creepily, depending on your viewpoint--Hallam pines for Kate from a distance, observing her daily activities (kickboxing, grooming, sex), through binoculars. Hallam's adolescent fantasies soon blossom into an unlikely romance when, during an after-work function, Kate revealingly declares, "I like creepy guys." While MISTER FOE tackles some rather unsettling psychological territory, David MacKenzie infuses the film with enough light, comic touches and a playful atmosphere of magic realism to prevent it from edging toward dolorous melodrama. Rounding out this very likeable indie feature are a delightful animated title sequence by artist David Shirgley, and a spirited soundtrack from Domino Records, featuring a bevy of Scottish rockers such as Franz Ferdinand and Orange Juice. [More]
Starring: Jamie Bell, Ciaran Hinds, Sophia Myles, Jamie Sives
Starring: Jamie Bell, Ciaran Hinds, Sophia Myles, Jamie Sives, Maurice Roeves, Ewen Bremner, Claire Forlani
Director: David Mackenzie
Director: David Mackenzie
Screenwriter: David Mackenzie, Ed Whitmore
Producer: Gillian Berrie
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Release:
Nov 11, 2008
Reviews for Mister Foe
In his attempt to make the audience sympathize with Hallam, [director] Mackenzie uses the cheapest trick in the book: attempting to give the audience a link into his head with a manic soundtrack.
Didn't I review this coming-of-age picture back in the spring when it was called Charlie Bartlett?
Equal parts sweet and perverse, this Scottish film is unpredictable in places where it might be twee, and subversively fanciful in others where it might be punishing.
There's a chance that Bell's strong work could turn this into a cult item.
The story itself is self-regarding, and the ending, with its muddled vengefulness, strains both sympathy and credibility.
Director David Mackenzie's complex story is never sure exactly what tone to strike.
Grumpy Glaswegians going at it are once again the focus of David ("Young Adam") Mackenzie's bleak and dreary -- but not wholly uninteresting -- drama.
As a study of grief, this is silly and nonsensical. Taken less seriously, Mackenzie delivers a light dance over heavy issues, and the romance works – but how flippantly can we take death, grief and suicide?
The Hitchcockian elements are actually much subtler than recognized, partly because the film is generally more a comedy than some Peeping Tom-esque thriller.
Affirms the raw talents of both David Mackenzie (Young Adam) and Jamie Bell (who's come a long way since Billy Elliot).
A worthy addition to Holden Caulfield's coming-of-age subgenre of off-kilter teenage boys let loose in big cities. Bell and Myles give terrific performances.
Hallam Foe cannot be accused of concealing its investment in the dramatic heightening of sensation, the privileging of psychic logic and hormonal pulls over safer and more quotidian forms of "realistic" storytelling.
A striking film but certainly more of one that grows on you rather than one that's immediately compelling.
Tip-top performances, led by young British thesp Jamie Bell, and a deftly handled tone reflecting all the title teen's confused emotions make Hallam Foe a viewing delight.
A stylish, original romance whose dark leanings are leavened by a current of optimism running through its darting narrative.
Another successful and intriguing entry in Mackenzie's growing oeuvre.
Perched on a razor's edge between the sinister and the whimsical, it's erotic, well acted, beautifully photographed.
By the end of "Hallam Foe," you've nearly forgotten his all-too-regular boy development. Now you're wondering, what's Kate doing when he's not looking?
Latest News for Mister Foe
January 08, 2009:
RT Interview: Jamie Bell talks Defiance and Dance
Jamie Bell tap-danced his way into the national consciousness with his breakthrough performance in Billy Elliot nine years ago. Since then he has worked with heavyweight screen... More...
November 02, 2008:
Baret DVD News: A movie about a Scottish Peeping Tom who is sufficiently demented to give even Peeping Toms a bad name, it seems to be a lot less about fetish and voyeurism, than warped emotional espionage as pathological mommy love. ![]()
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September 08, 2008:
Teen Peeping Tom acts upon oedipal urges in dysfunctional family drama from Scotland. ![]()
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September 03, 2008:
A movie about a Scottish Peeping Tom who is sufficiently demented to give even Peeping Toms a bad name, it seems to be a lot less about fetish and voyeurism, than warped emotional espionage as pathological mommy love. ![]()
More...
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