By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: Mark Gill
Cast: Jack Lowden, Jessica Brown Findlay, Laurie Kynaston, Adam Lawrence, Jodie Comer, Katherine Pearce, Simone Kirby.
"How's the world gonna remember you?" A character asks in the film. If you've followed Morrissey's career, the answer is clear, and the world now certainly remembers who he is by it. Based on the true story of Smiths front-runner Steven Morrissey, England is Mine sets its sights on a particular era of Morrissey's life before he became the front-runner of the indie band that he is known for during the 1980s as well as today.
England is Mine tells the early life of Smiths front-runner Steven Morrissey as he navigates his way around life, forming new bonds whilst breaking old ones, and his struggle to make it to the spotlight as the singer that the world knows now.
Lowden, a promising talent, has been since 2016 crime drama Denial as well as this year's war epic Dunkirk; plays the quite yet passionate singer with some delightful intruigue. Unlike his friendlier and more open roles, this one is like a fizzle in a fire. It's charmingly quite, but in an endearing way. Is he a socially awkward and at times, a mopey jerk? Yes, and the film has moments where his sulky attitude causes his only friend to abandon him, or when he cuts his friend off as she tries to console him by stating that her "Life is too short," saying is a cliché; but listens to artist Linder's "Be yourself, everyone else is taken," advice as if it wasn't the same thing. But it's where his buried hatred for people becomes his way of artistic expression that makes him interesting. There's something quite poetic in the way he remarks about life, particularly when he states of life as, "the factory for father, and the kitchen for mother". Through the course of the film, Morrissey becomes bored of his ordinary life to the point where he's frustrated as to why no one ever takes notice of him and why they see him as the odd one out.
Think of Morrissey as Danny Boyle's depiction of Steve Jobs: brilliant, yet filled with ego. What creates a distinction between this depiction of Morrissey with Boyle's Steve Jobs is that Morrissey is shown as an introvert, mumbling about how life isn't as fair as he wanted and how tedious everyone is; whilst Jobs wastes no time telling people that what they're doing is wrong straight to their face. It's a rather odd comparison, but what makes them one and the same are that despite their seemingly egotistical ways, they have the ability to create something that the world was soon able to see.
Jessica Brown Findlay as Steven's enigmatic yet open companion Linder Sterling steps alongside our lead and graces the screen, eventually threatening to grab the spotlight from our lead. Linder is one of the few people Steven opens up to, and is comfortable with. Though she is one of the few that Steven considers as a friend, she is the opposite of Steven. She is more driven, more open, and as the biggest threat to our lead: more interesting.
Following a visual palette that uses color and cinematography the way J.C Chandor's A Most Violent Year did, England is Mine plays with the era that the story is set in, with its visual palette being bright, yet muted. The cinematography is also stunning, from luscious wide shots of a gloomy 1970s Britain to a medium frame depicting Steven in his own bedroom, either bored out of his mind or creating a set of his own written works on a typewriter (or a personal favorite of mine: one where Morrissey stands outside a door, his blurred figure visible from the inside of the house). It's a wonderful piece of visual feast for the eyes, as its shots are no doubt aesthetically pleasing.
Essentially, England is Mine feels more like a character study than it is a story. England is Mine becomes a ravenous grip that pulls us in to get to know their enigmatic line of characters, particularly Steven. It's an interesting look into the people that Steven meets in his life, and a more intriguing look into Steven himself. It's as if Stephen King's Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption was about Steven Morrissey. Morrissey, when it comes to the way the film portrays him, is poetic and admittedly brilliant, but an arrogant introvert whose moments of arrogance and social awkwardness creates a fine line between eliciting a laugh and an eye-roll from viewers. He has subtle humor, and one he probably would never expect to elicit a laugh from anyone who listens, but it is enough to cause a chuckle, with one scene having someone he seems to despise ask him what he wants to eat, to which he responds, "I don't care, as long as it's poisonous."
Despite that, when you consider the story and the way it falls together, it is sadly, rather bland. Since it is an unauthorized biopic of the Smiths front-runner, it's unclear whether the story depicted is what actually happened to the real Morrissey (though biopics tend to divert themselves from the reality of the story by making their own version), but its way of telling his life story, especially as it chooses to focus on Morrissey's pre-Smiths era; is not as intriguing on screen as it probably was on paper. As an insight on the life of a man who would become the front-runner of the Smiths, there's not much to grab a hold of in terms of story, especially during the first and second act. Not to mention some of the film's rapid pacing, switching from one scene to another with no clear resolution for some of its scenes.
It does however, pick up when Steven befriends Linder, before eventually falling flat again for the remainder of the film. It's not until the third act of the film where Morrissey spirals into a black hole of depression and utter misery that is different story altogether, and one where the film finally picks itself up again. It is also where Lowden's performance becomes the elevating element of the film.
I'm not familiar with Morrissey or the Smiths myself, but the film depicts him in a captivating way, though the real Morrissey might not be too fond of it, especially when he never approved of the biopic. England is Mine can be dull in story as well as a glum affair to the point where its state of despair passes on to the viewers themselves, but it's uplifting at times, mixing its gloomy palette with a dash of humor that for the most part, lands gracefully. If it weren't for its witty dialogue and enigmatic characters, England is Mine would have fallen completely flat on the floor. Fortunately, it doesn't, and that's the best aspect that the film manages to achieve.
Star: 3/5
Trailer
England is Mine premiered during the UK/ID Festival 2017 as the opening film of the festival.
 |
| Image source: Manchester Evening News |
Director: Mark Gill
Cast: Jack Lowden, Jessica Brown Findlay, Laurie Kynaston, Adam Lawrence, Jodie Comer, Katherine Pearce, Simone Kirby.
"How's the world gonna remember you?" A character asks in the film. If you've followed Morrissey's career, the answer is clear, and the world now certainly remembers who he is by it. Based on the true story of Smiths front-runner Steven Morrissey, England is Mine sets its sights on a particular era of Morrissey's life before he became the front-runner of the indie band that he is known for during the 1980s as well as today.
England is Mine tells the early life of Smiths front-runner Steven Morrissey as he navigates his way around life, forming new bonds whilst breaking old ones, and his struggle to make it to the spotlight as the singer that the world knows now.
Lowden, a promising talent, has been since 2016 crime drama Denial as well as this year's war epic Dunkirk; plays the quite yet passionate singer with some delightful intruigue. Unlike his friendlier and more open roles, this one is like a fizzle in a fire. It's charmingly quite, but in an endearing way. Is he a socially awkward and at times, a mopey jerk? Yes, and the film has moments where his sulky attitude causes his only friend to abandon him, or when he cuts his friend off as she tries to console him by stating that her "Life is too short," saying is a cliché; but listens to artist Linder's "Be yourself, everyone else is taken," advice as if it wasn't the same thing. But it's where his buried hatred for people becomes his way of artistic expression that makes him interesting. There's something quite poetic in the way he remarks about life, particularly when he states of life as, "the factory for father, and the kitchen for mother". Through the course of the film, Morrissey becomes bored of his ordinary life to the point where he's frustrated as to why no one ever takes notice of him and why they see him as the odd one out.
Think of Morrissey as Danny Boyle's depiction of Steve Jobs: brilliant, yet filled with ego. What creates a distinction between this depiction of Morrissey with Boyle's Steve Jobs is that Morrissey is shown as an introvert, mumbling about how life isn't as fair as he wanted and how tedious everyone is; whilst Jobs wastes no time telling people that what they're doing is wrong straight to their face. It's a rather odd comparison, but what makes them one and the same are that despite their seemingly egotistical ways, they have the ability to create something that the world was soon able to see.
 | |
| Image source: Twitter |
Jessica Brown Findlay as Steven's enigmatic yet open companion Linder Sterling steps alongside our lead and graces the screen, eventually threatening to grab the spotlight from our lead. Linder is one of the few people Steven opens up to, and is comfortable with. Though she is one of the few that Steven considers as a friend, she is the opposite of Steven. She is more driven, more open, and as the biggest threat to our lead: more interesting.
Following a visual palette that uses color and cinematography the way J.C Chandor's A Most Violent Year did, England is Mine plays with the era that the story is set in, with its visual palette being bright, yet muted. The cinematography is also stunning, from luscious wide shots of a gloomy 1970s Britain to a medium frame depicting Steven in his own bedroom, either bored out of his mind or creating a set of his own written works on a typewriter (or a personal favorite of mine: one where Morrissey stands outside a door, his blurred figure visible from the inside of the house). It's a wonderful piece of visual feast for the eyes, as its shots are no doubt aesthetically pleasing.
Essentially, England is Mine feels more like a character study than it is a story. England is Mine becomes a ravenous grip that pulls us in to get to know their enigmatic line of characters, particularly Steven. It's an interesting look into the people that Steven meets in his life, and a more intriguing look into Steven himself. It's as if Stephen King's Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption was about Steven Morrissey. Morrissey, when it comes to the way the film portrays him, is poetic and admittedly brilliant, but an arrogant introvert whose moments of arrogance and social awkwardness creates a fine line between eliciting a laugh and an eye-roll from viewers. He has subtle humor, and one he probably would never expect to elicit a laugh from anyone who listens, but it is enough to cause a chuckle, with one scene having someone he seems to despise ask him what he wants to eat, to which he responds, "I don't care, as long as it's poisonous."
 |
| Image source: RTE |
Despite that, when you consider the story and the way it falls together, it is sadly, rather bland. Since it is an unauthorized biopic of the Smiths front-runner, it's unclear whether the story depicted is what actually happened to the real Morrissey (though biopics tend to divert themselves from the reality of the story by making their own version), but its way of telling his life story, especially as it chooses to focus on Morrissey's pre-Smiths era; is not as intriguing on screen as it probably was on paper. As an insight on the life of a man who would become the front-runner of the Smiths, there's not much to grab a hold of in terms of story, especially during the first and second act. Not to mention some of the film's rapid pacing, switching from one scene to another with no clear resolution for some of its scenes.
It does however, pick up when Steven befriends Linder, before eventually falling flat again for the remainder of the film. It's not until the third act of the film where Morrissey spirals into a black hole of depression and utter misery that is different story altogether, and one where the film finally picks itself up again. It is also where Lowden's performance becomes the elevating element of the film.
I'm not familiar with Morrissey or the Smiths myself, but the film depicts him in a captivating way, though the real Morrissey might not be too fond of it, especially when he never approved of the biopic. England is Mine can be dull in story as well as a glum affair to the point where its state of despair passes on to the viewers themselves, but it's uplifting at times, mixing its gloomy palette with a dash of humor that for the most part, lands gracefully. If it weren't for its witty dialogue and enigmatic characters, England is Mine would have fallen completely flat on the floor. Fortunately, it doesn't, and that's the best aspect that the film manages to achieve.
Star: 3/5
Trailer
England is Mine premiered during the UK/ID Festival 2017 as the opening film of the festival.
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