Days of the Bagnold Summer

This story is very real and is get relatable to ordinary people. The mother son relationship is realistic, and their transformation is heartwarming. I enjoyed watching it.

There are some things the British Film Industry does par excellence and this is one of them. Funny, sincere and extremely relatable, especially if you have, or have had teenagers and quite probably if you've been one too!

Started out really great and full of laughs. It felt refreshing and a solid directorial effort by Simon Bird.

The Belle and Sebastian songs really helped with the vibe of it. The two leads had good chemistry, and managed to balance tender moments, with dramatic ones, and dry comedy.

Things lost momentum as it went on though. The slice of life elements started to wear thin, and the depressive angst just became a bit tiresome. I wasn't a fan of a particular development involving a certain animal.

But nevertheless, it was unique, succeeded in some laughs and was an alright way to spend 80-something minutes.

Daniel is a morose, thrash metal loving teenager dressed in black with long unkept hair who is painfully unsure of himself. He does not have a great relationship with his mum Sue, who, despite having a sunny disposition and cheery manner is also painfully unsure of herself. Daniel is hoping to spend the summer with his father who is now living in Florida but when that plan is scuppered it's clear that he's going to have to spend it with his mother.

To say this film is understated is....well, an understatement. Some reviews have seen the film as pointless and innocuous and to be fair this directorial debut by actor Simon Bird isn't going to change your life but I found a lot to like. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments a few moving ones (but not overtly sentimental) the direction and photography and the songs of Belle and Sebastian perfectly capture the bright but often deadly dull days of a suburban British summer. The supporting cast is full of great British comic actors who are great although the central performances of Earl Cave and especially Monica Dolan as son and mother are quite wonderful.

Your socks won't be blown off but give yourself 85 minutes to immerse yourself into this world and you will find it, I think, a rather disarmingly charming experience.

If you weren't a British teenager that grew up in the suburbs in the late 90s/early 00s listening to metal, then the nuances of this film might be a bit lost on you. From the stereotypical high street, to the bookcases in the library - this film screams everyday British culture. While there are a few shaky performances, Monica Dolan should be commended for her portrayal of the single mum trying everything she can to reconnect with her son. Her subtle delivery of those classic parental lines are both comical and heartfelt in the same breath, allowing the viewer to sympathise both with her and her son (played by Earl Cave, son of Nick Cave). I really enjoyed this film from start to finish, and I'll look forward to seeing more from Simon Bird in the future.