Peter Mullan, who gave one of my favorite performances as the charming-turned-despicable Syd in Children of Men, has come to Tribeca Film Festival with his third feature, NEDS. The film focuses on John McGill (Conor McCarron) growing up in a violent 1970s Glasgow. Although he shows promise, achieving grades near the top of his class, he quickly begins a downward spiral into gang warfare and rebellion.
We’ve seen coming-of-age stories in this mold before, but Mullan takes a rough, visceral approach, making for a highly effective film. Off the bat, one will notice the authentic dialogue. The thick accents, guided by subtitles in our screening, give the film intrigue and edge, when a safer effort may have conformed. Mullan doesn’t quite care if you understand what is being said, and his fast-talking, naturalistic characters only add more life.
Unlike America’s obsession with guns, these kids are only using knives and blunt objects, which adds another level to the violence. Mullan interjects pop/rock music during most of the fight scenes, giving off A Clockwork Orange vibe and contrasting the true moments of brutal horror found in specific moments. Nick Newman (who you can follow on twitter here) and I discussed the film in further detail and you can check out the video below.
NEDS is currently playing at Tribeca Film Festival and on VOD.