Hallam Foe, based on the novel by Peter Jinks and directed by David Mackenzie from his own screenplay, is the tale of the titular youth. Withdrawn after the death of his mother he has taken to being a voyeur, not so much as in a perverted way but as a distant, impassive observer of life around him. Although his proclivity may be considered almost psychotic, it is no worse than watching Big Brother on the television and probably even better. And when you consider that we are constantly under surveillance from CCTV cameras, a little personal observation seems quite harmless.
After an argument with his father and stepmother, Hallam leaves their large country home for Edinburgh with a backpack and nowhere to stay. After an early run in with the police Hallam discovers the city’s rooftops from where he sees Kate, a young woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to his mother. Kate runs HR at one of the city’s biggest hotels and Hallam manages to convince to give him a job as a kitchen porter. Despite his shyness he soon starts a close relationship with Kate, while still watching her from afar.
Jamie Bell is stunning in the lead role, proving that Billy Elliot was no fluke. He never overplays the character’s quiet intensity or his swings into strong emotions and evokes nothing but empathy from the audience. The physical agility he showed as Elliot is in full display as he clambers across the city’s roofs. His co-star Sophia Myles, as Kate, complements Bell and shows herself to more than the proper lady she usually portrays with a gutsy performance. The rest of the cast give excellent support but it is really Bell and Myle’s film.
It is obviously going to be a huge hit with the local crowd but this is a strong British film that should attract audiences around the world with its story of human emotions.
Hallam Foe is on general release from August 31.
What is fascinating about Edinburgh is how low-key it is. The opening night red carpet event did not have all the glamour of festivals like Cannes or London. There was even camaraderie among the press and photographers, and a chance to catch up with people from previous years. The PR people even came over and chatted with us as we waited for the stars to arrive instead of running around being officious. This is definitely one of the charms of the Festival that keeps bringing me back.
For those lucky enough to get an invite, there were parties that went on until the early hours of the morning.
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