(2000)
2
Jason Clark
Yet another dreary family drama about the strife of a poor, impoverished English clan, Stephen Frears' uninvolving, derivative Liam is about as one-note as they come. Taking its cue from Alan Parker's similarly melancholy Angela's Ashes and about a dozen other films over the past 20 years, this film is remarkably brief, both in its running time and in its assessment of the characters' delicate emotional states, none of whom are given sufficient treatment to make the film entirely worthwhile. Potentially fascinating ideas (such as the youngest son's obsession with his burgeoning sexual discoveries) are thrown aside in favor of well-worn dramatics, including a silly story thread involving unrest among the diverse ethnicity of their Liverpool community. Ian Hart, a perfectly capable actor, seems miscast here as the family's unemployed, boozing father. It seems a role more suited to an actor with greater stature (like a Ray Winstone or Brendan Gleeson), but like the movie, Hart fails to make anything new of a person we've seen far too many times before. The film premiered at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival, as part of a tribute to Stephen Frears' directing career.
releases for Liam on AllMovie
Liam (2000)
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Title/Studio |
Release Date |
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Liam
Lions Gate
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March 12, 2002 |
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Liam
Artificial Eye
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December 26, 2001 |