Pond Life

A perfectly formed slice of life in 90's South Yorkshire, with characters that are bound to resonate with anybody who grew up in the area. I lived in East Yorkshire during that decade, but the people I knew were not too far removed from those in this film. Special kudos to an excellent acting ensemble.

Quaint little British drama (based on a play) about moving on with life in a run down Northern mining community. Set in the Summer 1994, the details are presented well, even down to the music and the wonderbra advert. I was 16 in 1994 so it brought back a few memories....the beginning of Tony Blair's Britain and the feeling that the whole country was waiting for a new era to start. The humour in this film is brilliant, from the younger characters' sleazy endeavours borne out of boredom, to the amusing quiz host at the local workingmen's club. There are some dark backstories and the young cast central to the film do a good job of holding it together, with Trevor (Tom Varey) the standout. There are a few character traits that I think were a little overdone, but overall it's a nice watch. If you like Ken Loach and you like Phoenix Nights, you'll like this.