AllMovie

One of two short features produced for the BBC in the wake of director Danny Boyle's botched big-budget Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle The Beach, Strumpet finds the filmmaker working under a miniscule budget, a tight shooting schedule, and -- best of all -- a renewed emphasis on character and performance. Strumpet may seem the more precious of the two featurettes, and its theme of retaining one's artistic integrity in the face of a corporate sellout runs the risk of being trite. But Boyle and lead Christopher Eccleston run the material through its paces, imbuing it with a warmth, vitality, and spontaneity it wouldn't have had otherwise. With the help of a hand-held camera and a seemingly improvised acting method, Boyle and Eccleston are able to capture that most elusive of qualities: genuine creative inspiration.