Hard Tide, 2016.
Directed by Robert Osman and Nathanael Wiseman.
Starring Nathanael Wiseman, Mem Ferda, Alexandra Newick, Oliver Stark, Ralph Brown, Katarina Gellin, Beverly Hills, Sean Cronin and Grant Davis.
SYNOPSIS:
A small-time drug dealer forges an unlikely bond with a neglected nine-year-old girl.
Jake (Nathanael Wiseman) may be a drug peddler on the streets of Margate, but this lifestyle was not by choice; his father Gaz (Ralph Brown) brought him up in such a world. Gaz, due to begin his prison sentence, tries to reconcile with Jake. However, Jake reminds him the burden he must carry as a result of Gaz i.e. his enemies are now Jake’s. Despite such parental failings, Jake shows a semblance of paternal instincts as looks out for Jade (Alexandra Newick), a neglected daughter of an alcoholic father (Grant Davis): unlike Jake’s roommate Alfie (Oliver Stark) who cares nothing for Jade, or children of any kind that matter.
Broken familial bonds abound this film, leading to some rewarding, and unrewarding, moments. Jake’s own issues are factually told, and one can see his lifestyle as a result of it, but his personality doesn’t reflect this; he’s charismatic, sociable, and oddly pure. Moreover, it’s only in the film’s first act that we’re privy to character back-story, and thereafter it focuses itself elsewhere. One such area on this thematic preoccupation is between a local florist Simon (Mem Ferda), a sociopath looking to expand his drug peddling, and his father (Andy Lucas), which inverts the problematic familial bonds. Simon’s unhinged personality goes against his quaint father who is looking for a quiet life.
The likes of Alfie and Simon aren’t looking for the simple life, and it’s clear they’ve seen too many popular gangster movies; Alfie sets up meetings with other dealers, and views himself as a peddling wide-boy. Jake has to explain to him, “he’s no Scarface,” given that Jake does the majority of the street-level pushing. On the surface, Simon and Alfie’s performance may appear cartoonish, but when one understands Jake’s life has been moulded by the unglamorous underbelly of this underworld, it becomes apparent these two are interested in the Hollywood version, and not the Margate reality.
Jake finds difficulty in balancing his drug peddling and his quasi-girlfriend Kim (Katarina Gellin). Kim is somewhat aware of his job, but chooses to focus on the positives i.e. she finds him attractive. The two exude chemistry that will leave audiences wishing more intimate screen time between the two; the sly grins and cute glances, along with their ability to keep each other in check is conveyed naturally.
To counter this mature milieu is the innocent, albeit spoilt, Jade. Donning her Supergirl outfit, she navigates herself around Jake’s life, and comes to understand the darker side of the world. Her innocence is not to be confused with naïveté; she speaks of her mother’s death factually, and she suspects almost immediately that Jake’s a drug dealer. This provides an interesting dichotomy of innocence and awareness within Jade, and puts the adults surrounding her in an awkward position of what they can, and cannot, do. In short, she becomes the honest yet incorruptible entity on this damaged estate.
The film isn’t without major flaws; the screenplay has some clunky dialogue and forced exposition. It’s highly repetitive and is prone to explain emotions, which will most likely distant its audience. Moreover, the constant swearing maybe an attempt to add realism – people do swear, and it can be effective – but it’s sometimes misjudged, and adds nothing to the emotional state of the character. And given that some performances were awkward (in spite of the relative unknowns populating the cast) it makes this film a jarring, distancing experience.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Matthew Lee
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https://youtu.be/b7Ozs5mj5ao?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng
Originally published April 27, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
