THE LAWLESS HEART
UK, 2002, 92 minutes, Colour.
Douglas Henshall, Tom Hollander, Bill Nighy, Clementine Celarie, Ellie Eddington.
Directed by Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger.
The Lawless Heart is a brief film about relationships, something in the tradition of late '90s British films like This Year's Love, Bedrooms and Hallways, Born Romantic. This film is lower-key - and has more heart and feeling in it. Some of the other films starred members of the cast of The Lawless Heart.
The film is in three parts, going over the same chronology but from the point of view of three of the men. They each encounter various women in their lives who transform them. Each of them finds either his place in the world or the possibilities of a future.
The film treats of a marriage which has been in place for some decades but is under threat, the relationship between a wandering man and the women in his life who help him settle down, and thirdly, about a homosexual couple, where one of the partners dies and the survivor tries to cope, especially encountering a rather wild young woman with whom he begins a friendship. The issue of homosexuality is treated with much more humanity than usual, the focus being on relationships rather than on specifics of sexual activity. The film is low-key and emotional, eliciting a response from the audience for the intricacies of the characters' dilemmas.
1. The impact of the film? Human nature, relationships, love and death? Searching and the future?
2. The locations on the Isle of Man and Essex. The country village, the countryside, the marshes and the sea? The musical score and songs?
3. The structure of the film with the focus on the three different characters, their own interactions, going over the same time span but from the different perspectives? Each character illuminating the other as well as the supporting characters?
4. The title and its sounding too "lawless" for its content and characters? The laws of the heart - and the heart breaking through expectations and laws?
5. Daniel Storey: his relationship with Stuart, at the funeral, his nervousness, meeting Tim again, with Nick? His meeting Corinne, their discussions about depression, his being attracted towards her? His relationship with his wife and children? At the funeral, the meal sequences? His fixing things? The attraction towards Corinne, hiding from her around the car in the street? The chance encounter in the supermarket, her invitation to a meal, the address? His excuses with Judy, going to the party, leaving it, meeting Nick in the pub, giving Michelle a lift home and succumbing to her sexual advances? The irony that Tim would find out from Michelle? At home, the discussions about giving Nick the money? His attitudes towards Stuart and homosexuality? His not understanding, distancing himself? Trying to cope with Judy's moods? Fixing the projector? The resolution, Judy giving Nick the money, their watching the films about Stuart? A certain contentedness in his life - especially after his discussions with Nick and with Tim about relationships?
6. Tim, the wanderer, away for eight years, his father and the farm? Arriving at the funeral, his relationship with Michelle? Seeing the other girl in the shop, attracted towards her? His struggles between Michelle and the other girl? His moving in with Nick, the party and the noise, his being ousted? Going to Judy's birthday party and his reaction to Nick? The discussions with Nick, his apologies? His going to Daniel and settling down? His future?
7. Nick, the long-term relationship with Stuart, their working in the restaurant together, their partnership, his fidelity, discussions about his relationship with Daniel, who was trying to understand the parallel with heterosexual relationships and fidelity? A gentle man, courteous? At the funeral, his friendship with Judy? Taking Tim in? The hullabaloo of the party, finding Charlie and Darren in bed, Darren taking his coat, the bottle opener? Charlie, looking after her, getting her on her feet, trying to send her home? Her staying with him, working in the restaurant? Their discussions, going to the house, his sexual advance and his own bewilderment and not being able to explain it to Charlie? Judy changing her mind, giving him the money? Giving him the films and the projector? Each watching Stuart? Stuart as he appeared in the films, in people's memories, Daniel and his wariness, Judy and her brother, Tim and his liking him as a friend?
8. Charlie, with Darren, waking up in bed, being waited on by Nick, challenging him, attracted towards him? Work in the supermarket - and giving him the money back through not punching in the prices? Staying with him, the sexual encounter, the puzzlement? His being a sobering influence on her, the possibility of her settling down? Staying friends with Nick?
9. Judy, her love for her brother, the funeral, her love for Daniel and her family, her tension, the birthday party and the gifts and her being ill at ease? Resenting Nick's friendship with Charlie - and misunderstanding it? Changing her mind about the money twice? Giving him the money, hoping for his future?
10. David and his friendship with Tim, working for Daniel, his divorce, friendship with the girl, their past experience, a relationship?
11. The interaction of the characters, their humanity, flaws, strengths, learning by their mistakes? Hope for a future?
