Meantime is one of my favorite amongst favorite films. It doesn't pretend to be something's it's not. This is a movie that deserves more exposure. Our three male leads, Daniels, Roth, and Oldman are excellent, but it's Daniel's powerful performance that excels in the acting honors. He and his slow brother, Roth, who's just great to watch act here, like their Mother and Father are, all on the dole. We even see what's it's like standing in line, in the dole office, amidst the frustration, anger and shame, that we see all too real in these offices. Daniels even blows his top to the office woman, after she quotes, "You're not making our jobs any easier" where he replies, "We're not talking about your jobs. We're talking about our jobs". But luck is looking up, when the Aunt offers, Colin (Roth) a job opportunity, which brings jealousy from Daniel's, who tries to sway him away from the job on his first day, where he actually goes to his place of employment, which is actually the Aunt's place, to paint her walls. See how hard this family's got it. Baldie/punk Oldman is like Daniel's sidekick, an over the top character, who makes a meal of his role, and in one scene where he crashes a girl's place with Roth, we're witness to some real scary type behavior where too it's just great acting. It's these actors that carry this movie, although we have great support too from everyone that carries their weight, including the versatile Molina as the much better off Aunt's, successful and snooty husband, where compared to the other family, they're living in paradise. The scene prior to Oldman's outburst, where he insults a black English guy while standing in an elevator with Roth was amusing, with Oldman cringing some, showed him to be really weak underneath. This black guy and his wife are brought into the story too, although they have no ties with the other players which was interesting I thought. There's so many interesting scenes in this film, though I can't imagine ever watching this without Daniels. I loved it when he and the father went toe to toe at the end, with the father just learning of the secret trip he took to the Aunt's, beating Colin who of course, nitwit that he is, got lost. It was an explosive acting moment, a scene every budding actor would love to do. And why did Daniels stay behind with the Aunt. Later the unhappy Aunt says to hubby on his return home, "John, did you ever fancy someone else", that kind of leaves our perverted imagination to run a little wild as to suggest Daniels and her were an item. Her harsh response at hubby who makes a dinner suggestion, was funny, where reading her face after, there's the trace of a smile, as though she's lifted off some heavy burden. The philosophical young housing contractor is something of a surprise too, finishing his sentences mostly with "Okay" and "Yeah". He prefers floors to chairs too when sitting. This is a must see film, to really see how the misfortunate tough it out. Director Leigh too is interesting, with the filming of some of his shots, e.g. a hallway scene where afar, the mother is trying to get the washing dryer to work. Other people enter the shot, hurrying into other rooms, whatever, only, we're only viewing them merely from the legs down. Some of Daniel's cheeky remarks, that run constant throughout, are priceless. He even nicknames his brother Kermit, the anthem following.
Review of Meantime
