HALLAM FOE
UK, 2007, 96 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciarán Hinds, Jamie Sives, Maurice Roëves, Ewen Bremner, Claire Forlani.
Directed by David Mackenzie.
Perhaps there are people with names like Hallam Foe. However, it is one of those eerie names, especially the Foe, which characterises the non-hero of this Scottish drama.
Hallam Foe is 17 turning 18, a morose young man who likes to pry and spy on people. His mother has died and his father has remarried, with Hallam indulging in some paranoia, suspecting his stepmother. Hallam leaves home for Edinburgh, getting a job in a hotel where he is attracted to a young woman who resembles his mother. He also pries on her and the married boss who is having an affair with her. She then takes up with him. Where is Hallam Foe going with his life?
This film is something of a psychodrama, exploring the strangely aberrant mentality that compels him to intrusive, malicious and even violent behaviour.
Jamie Bell has come quite a way since Billy Elliot, but he brings something of that disturbed intensity to Hallam. Sophia Myles is the complicated girlfriend with Ciaran Hinds as his father and Clare Forlani as the sometimes sweet, sometimes sinister stepmother.
Directed by David Mackenzie (Young Adam, Asylum).
1.A Scots story? Edinburgh? The Scottish countryside? Authentic atmosphere? Songs and musical score?
2.The title, the focus on Hallam Foe, Jamie Bell’s performance?
3.The film as a psychodrama, acting out of psychological situations, conditions, paranoia? The oedipal overtones? The positive resolution?
4.The introduction to Hallam Foe: painting his face, his tree-house, stalking as a voyeur, his fox hat, his sliding down the rope, disturbing the couple and their reaction? His keeping his diary?
5.Hallam at home, his mother’s death, her suicide? Her life with Hallam’s father, the boat, his putting the hole in it to stop her going out in it, her killing herself? Hallam thinking that she did not love him? His love, grief, his resentment towards his father, his accusing Verity of killing his mother? At the table, his rudeness in the restaurant? Lucy going to Australia, Hallam staying?
6.His confrontation with Verity, the sexual encounter, her taunting him to fly the nest, his leaving home, the train ride to Edinburgh?
7.Hallam in the city, the attempt to pick him up, the encounter with the police, his running and hiding, his going to see Kate, following her, the interview with her, the discussions, his getting the job, the kitchen work, the encounters with Raymond, genial but tough on him, the breaking of the plates, the costs? His going to the tower, the watching of Kate’s room, prying, her martial arts, her relationship with Alasdair, the sexual behaviour? His reaction?
8.Alasdair and his presence in the company, the relationship with Kate? The confrontation with Hallam? The revealing of secrets? Alasdair dismissing him, giving him the money? Hallam going to his home, friendly with his wife and children? Alasdair and the sexual behaviour with Kate and knowing that Hallam was watching? The subsequent violence, Hallam intervening? The revealing of the truth of his voyeurism?
9.Kate, promoting him, his work, the discussions with Andy? His eighteenth birthday? Going to the pub for drinks, going home with Kate, simply wanting to sleep beside her, her asking him if he was gay? The next day, the room, her summons to him, the beginning of the affair?
10.The character of Kate, her personality, her reference to herself as a slag, her inability to sustain relationships, the reason for the affair with Alasdair, knowing about his wife? Her attitudes towards Hallam, the behaviour with him? The talk, the truth, her wanting him to expose himself, naked, telling the truth? Her resemblance to his mother? His telling her this and the photo?
11.Verity and his father, their coming to London, in the hotel, the confrontation, his father’s difficult situation, his accident? The lack of money? His wanting to develop the property? Verity explaining? His father understanding about the sexual behaviour? Verity and her comments about Kate as being a look-alike for his mother?
12.Hallam going home, his abducting Verity, trying to drown her, coming to his senses, reviving her? His father’s reaction? Verity’s reaction?
13.This behaviour as resolving many of his problems, going back to talk with Kate, her saying she would like to see him five years later? His walking down the road happy?
