When I heard one of my favourite actresses, Billie Piper was in a new film, I knew I had to see it.
This film also stars, Samantha Morton, Daniel Mays, Emilia Jones, Badger Skelton and Bella Ramsey.
Directed by Tom Beard and produced by Sadie Frost and Emma Comley, it’s an emotional story of a family who are struggling.
Take a look at the trailer here…
Synopsis
TWO FOR JOY is a visceral and moving exploration of one British familyβs life, navigating
their way through grief in the years following their father’s death.
Aisha’s (Samantha Morton) struggle with mental health is making home life increasingly
unmanageable for her teenage daughter Vi (Emilia Jones) and young adolescent son Troy
(Badger Skelton).
Vi has been forced to grow up fast, caring for her mother whilst also trying to look after Troy.
With no father figure and mother-daughter roles reversed, Troy has become a law unto
himself, excluded from school he spends his days cruising the estate or fishing the reservoir.
The tension at home is palpable – something has to give.
The trio decide to take a trip to their late father/husband’s idyllically placed caravan,
overlooking the sea. They befriend the holiday park caretaker Lias, (Daniel Mays), his
unhinged sister Lilah (Billie Piper) and her daughter Miranda (Bella Ramsey). A family in the
midst of their own drama.
This is a portrait of modern Britain seen through the eyes of a family in crisis.
My Thoughts
This film gets your attention from the very beginning, it sets the scene andΒ you start having questions right from the start, but all the important questions get answered pretty quickly which is what I like in a film. I can’t stand films that leave open-ended questions and leave you all frustrated and wondering long after it ends.
We are introduced to Troy (Badger Skelton), his behaviour and the influences around him, we meet Vi (Emilia Jones) and her struggle & frustration to look after both her mum and her brother, then Aisha (Samantha Morton) who is not coping with everyday life and relies on her daughter, Vi whilst refusing to accept help from social services of fear of the children being taken away.
I was so frustrated with Aisha at first, but the portrayal of the grieving, depressed mother that Samantha Morton plays is enough to pull at anyones heart-strings, I really felt for her, but wanted her to get some professional help in spite of her fears.
Felt so sorry for Troy, he’s so young and vulnerable at first I thought he was a naughty little bugger, but on understanding his situation my heart went out to him.
Also to Vi, who was in such an impossible position, having to step up and take real responsibility at such a young age, when all she should be worrying about is her homework and her current crush!
On the seaside trip they meet the troubled LilliahΒ (Billie Piper) and her challenging daughter, MirandaΒ ( Bella Ramsey) and the drama unfolds rapidly from here on…
It feels like the only real responsible adult in this film is Lias (Daniel Mays) who is actually a breath of fresh air as all the other adults are so deeply wrapped up in their own problems (although it is hinted that Lias is not totally trouble-free).
The themes and topics highlighted in this film include;
- Grief
- Depression
- Young Carers
- Neglect
- Domestic Violence and Abuse
It’s a good drama and well worth watching. It is beautifully filmed with excellent cinematography. This film probably has the least amount of dialogue than any film I can remember watching in a long time, but the atmosphere and story is played out physically by the amazing cast.
In fact, all the actors are brilliant, particularly the 3 young actors.
If you like a hard hitting drama with some serious themes running through, you must check out this film – it’s another British film that we can be very proud of ?
Two for Joy opens in UK cinemas on Friday 28th September 2018.
Enjoy.
Chanel x
Chanel Williams