Dive is a touching two part drama, telling the story of two teenagers in a more honest and realistic manner then most programmes and films. It shows how the two form a relationship and how their face their issues.
Lindsay (Aisling Loftus) is an ambitious 15-year-old diver who wants to be part of the British Olympic team in 2012. She follows a strict training regime and she is very close to her father (Ewen Bremner). But when he moves out and Lindsay's home life starts to fall apart. Her mum (Gina McKee) finds a new fella, much to Lindsay's discuss. Lindsay starts to go out at night and drink with a group of teenagers. She meets Robert (Jack O'Connell), a 16-year-old who doesn't have girlfriend. That all changes when he meets Lindsay and the two start having sex. Lindsay ends up getting pregnant, which obviously puts a hold on her dream, yet Robert too has personal issues involving his dad and brother Alex (Michael Socha).
There is excellent, natural acting from the two young leads as they explore their relationship and the pregnancy. There are supported by experienced actors like Bremner and Kate Dickie who are obviously competent. The characters are realistic, from a caring Lindsay's caring parents who she has grown distance from, Lindsay who actually enjoys her sport and not forced into it which is the normal cliché, Lindsay exploring teenage live and basically jumps in headfirst into a almost chav-like existence (at least with her friends). Robert is also shown that he to has problems at home, and the two teenagers have abandonment issues, but he is more of a dislikeable character. He does try and do the right thing but he is much more selfish thinking about himself.
A really strong aspect of Dive is the direction by Dominic Savage, who skilfully explores his characters and shoots in a natural and realistic way. He uses his settings and backgrounds, such as the windmills and the bench, the suburbs and the tower-blocks to add honest nature of the film which is set in a unnamed coastal Northern town. He allows the characters growths and explores the issues raised. He keeps his direction simple, allowing the actors do their thing and allows the drama to be rather touching. There is a simple score which adds to the power of the drama. Savage, his writing Dominic Savage and the actors had a real understanding about how this sect of teenagers think and act, with Lindsay being a good girl starting to rebel. There look at a feckless lot who just go around a park and drink and smoke, which really true and much more normal then say Hollyoaks where every teenagers wants to have sex, commit crime and seek into the local nightclub.
However an aspect I did not find realistic is that Lindsay had sex with Robert when there first met, I think considering the nature of that character who was hardworking and never had a boyfriend before that she would not have had a sexual experience straight away. Also there are some pretty strong sex scenes which were not really needed, Savage could have tone them down a little bit.
Lindsay (Aisling Loftus) is an ambitious 15-year-old diver who wants to be part of the British Olympic team in 2012. She follows a strict training regime and she is very close to her father (Ewen Bremner). But when he moves out and Lindsay's home life starts to fall apart. Her mum (Gina McKee) finds a new fella, much to Lindsay's discuss. Lindsay starts to go out at night and drink with a group of teenagers. She meets Robert (Jack O'Connell), a 16-year-old who doesn't have girlfriend. That all changes when he meets Lindsay and the two start having sex. Lindsay ends up getting pregnant, which obviously puts a hold on her dream, yet Robert too has personal issues involving his dad and brother Alex (Michael Socha).
There is excellent, natural acting from the two young leads as they explore their relationship and the pregnancy. There are supported by experienced actors like Bremner and Kate Dickie who are obviously competent. The characters are realistic, from a caring Lindsay's caring parents who she has grown distance from, Lindsay who actually enjoys her sport and not forced into it which is the normal cliché, Lindsay exploring teenage live and basically jumps in headfirst into a almost chav-like existence (at least with her friends). Robert is also shown that he to has problems at home, and the two teenagers have abandonment issues, but he is more of a dislikeable character. He does try and do the right thing but he is much more selfish thinking about himself.
A really strong aspect of Dive is the direction by Dominic Savage, who skilfully explores his characters and shoots in a natural and realistic way. He uses his settings and backgrounds, such as the windmills and the bench, the suburbs and the tower-blocks to add honest nature of the film which is set in a unnamed coastal Northern town. He allows the characters growths and explores the issues raised. He keeps his direction simple, allowing the actors do their thing and allows the drama to be rather touching. There is a simple score which adds to the power of the drama. Savage, his writing Dominic Savage and the actors had a real understanding about how this sect of teenagers think and act, with Lindsay being a good girl starting to rebel. There look at a feckless lot who just go around a park and drink and smoke, which really true and much more normal then say Hollyoaks where every teenagers wants to have sex, commit crime and seek into the local nightclub.
However an aspect I did not find realistic is that Lindsay had sex with Robert when there first met, I think considering the nature of that character who was hardworking and never had a boyfriend before that she would not have had a sexual experience straight away. Also there are some pretty strong sex scenes which were not really needed, Savage could have tone them down a little bit.