Thorny subjects sometimes require thorny performances and there are few subjects more discomfiting than child abuse. That partly explains the balled fist of inarticulate rage, deep-seated pain, bitter self-loathing and foul-mouthed distrust that is Christine Tremarco's damaged Charleen, who must rank among the most unsympathetic characters that British cinema has seen in years. This is one of those brave, searing turns that is continually in danger of alienating the audience and, depending on your mood, could prove too bleak, distressing or relentless to watch.
Previously known for his rent-a-Cockney-psycho roles in, amongst others, The Firm and Face, actor turned director Phil Davis has made a raw, punchy, and oddly moving first feature which sensibly trusts Hancock's stirling acting and steadying influence to offset Tremarco's volatility and prevent the story from being consumed by mawkishness or outright misanthropy.