The Low Down

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<TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="457" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="451"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="451" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> .</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>The Low Down  **1/2    (Not Rated)</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Reviewed By Pam Singleton</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="549" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="545"><div> …on life and love</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Frank: Aidan Gillen </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Ruby: Kate Ashfield</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Mike: Dean Lennox Kelly</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> John: Tobias Menzies</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Terry: Rupert Procter</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Lisa: Samantha Power</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Director: Jamie Thraves </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="304" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: A restless Londoner, in his late twenties, has difficulty accepting all the responsibilities of adulthood. He's fickle in his outlook concerning love, life and the low down on relationships.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> A close knit group of friends, share a penchant for drinking and spicy food, as they push their way toward the big 3-0! Some were college chums who now face commitment crises and career choices. Mike and Lisa (Dean Lennox Kelly and Samantha Power) have lived together seven years and three of the guys own a business together.</div> <bR> <div> Frank (Aidan Gillen) is a bit of a slacker; doing as much as he needs to get by and sharing a flat with his friend Terry (Rupert Procter). He has the inclination to get on in his life, buy a place of his own, have a committed relationship, but he can't seem to move off the dime to do it.</div> <bR> <div> Frank's nudge comes when Terry tells him he wants his girlfriend to move in. In an effort to find a flat, Frank hires Ruby, a real estate agent. They hit it off and begin to date. At Ruby's insistence they don't sleep together until their second date. While she basks in the glow of passion, he tells her "Maybe we should take it easy a bit," as he slips out of her embrace. Real charmer this guy. </div> <bR> <div> Mike, Frank and John (Tobias Menzies) run a business, making props and scenery for TV shows. Frank and Mike do most of the work, while John persists in showing up late, if at all. Mike wants to give him the boot, but Frank finds himself in the middle, his usual position, and agrees to talk with John. They take off for the countryside, hiking and boating, while Ruby is left waiting at a London flat she's to show Frank. </div> <bR> <div> Frank's adolescent behavior dominates the relationship with Ruby. No real communication exists between the two of them. Kicking a soccer ball around the bedroom and catching tossed cigarettes between your lips don't count. The ambiguity of their intimacy carries through to the end. Frank moves into a new flat, but does that really spell change for him?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It</B>: Close-in camera shots and framing give a feel of intimacy between the characters on the screen. The hand held camera and the use of natural light compliment the realistic dialogue in <I>The Low Down</I>.   </div> <bR> <div> An interesting turn of events at a country pub tests the mettle of both Frank and John, and sets the stage for the confrontation the two of them have later. Frank's refusal to leave his apartment with Ruby one afternoon, after they return to close an open window, gives insight into the depth of insecurity he feels with people, even strangers.</div> <bR> <div> This is a mellowed out story, where little action takes place…externally; and for my part I can't care about any internal angst the characters may be feeling. Getting the low down on jerks, while mildly interesting, tends to leave me cold.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="591" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> Not Rated (language; brief nudity)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> Pam Singleton © 2001</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>pam@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Mini Filmography </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Aidan Gillen: <I>Queer as Folk</I> TV</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Kate Ashfield: <I>The War Zone</I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Dean Lennox Kelly:  <A HREF="id532.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Saving Grace"><U><I><B>Saving Grace</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Tobias Menzies: <I>Longitude</I> TV</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Jamie Thraves: <I>I Just Want to Kiss You</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="286"><div>  Rupert Procter: <I>Notting Hill</I></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>