Dir. Richard Jobson, 2002, UK, 102 mins/English
Cast: Kevin McKidd, Laura Fraser, Susan Lynch, Lewis Macleod Ewen Bremner, Stuart Sinclair Blyth
Director Richard Jobson is perhaps better known from his days in punk rock group, the Skids, back in the Seventies or as one of the faces of 'yoof TV' during the Eighties. 25 years on and aged 43, he now offers us his directing debut in the shape of 16 Years Of Alcohol, a gritty, semi-autobiographical version of his own childhood, youth and then adulthood in Edinburgh. The story focuses on Frankie Mac, (McKidd), a young man whose attempts to combat the drinking and violence which have permeated his life are fraught with problems.
Jobson uses flashback effectively to hone in on Frankie's past. In the film's opening sequence, Frankie is beaten unconscious by his former friends and in this hazy blur, the film rewinds to his past. The father-son relationship reveals how Frankie doted on his alcoholic, womanising father (Macleod) who he always assumed was in love with his mother until he saw him cheating on her. As a street gang leader, we see the thrills he experiences from violence but also, his tender side when he falls for art student Helen (Fraser) who represents all that could be good in his life - trust, love and honesty. But Frankie's own limitations and problems affect his ability to commit to the relationship. As Frankie starts to mend his life, there are poignant scenes at the AA meetings and even acting classes to help him work through his violence, where he meets troubled woman Mary (Lynch).
The character of Frankie is a mixture of Jobson and his brother Francis, who died recently and to whom Jobson dedicates the film. Part of Jobson's own childhood was spent as a member of a 60-member street gang called AV Toi. And in fact, it is violence and not alcohol which characterises much of this film. When Frankie attends AA meetings, he says: 'My name's Frankie, I'm a violent man,' as it is the violence he is trying to combat.
The pace of the film contributes greatly to the overall atmosphere, even if it's not always spot on. The film begins rather slowly with a contemplative air, but then moves to the more violent episodes in Frankie's life. But Frankie's character also offers a voiceover with poetic undertones throughout the film. While this is moving and effective at times, more often than not it drags the film along and is sometimes over-intellectual. ('Where is love, when the past starts to leak into your heart?'). What is really lacking in the film is a sense of personal involvement - it always feels as though we are watching from the outside, which can be blamed on the over-reliance on stylistic filming and the use of voiceover.
Filmed on high definition for just £450,000, the film manages to successfully create a vibrant and atmospheric Edinburgh and is visually impressive, if a little over-stylised. The importance of youth culture is highlighted, with much attention paid to the music, hair and clothing of the times. McKidd's portrayal of Frankie Mac is excellent and the supporting cast are just as impressive, especially Lynch. All in all, 16 Years of Alcohol is a brutally honest and sometimes poignant account of Frankie's struggles and makes for very watchable, if sometimes uncomfortable, viewing.
Meera Dattani |
