Congratulations to first time director Samantha Morton and Channel 4 for showcasing this magically poignant portrait of a maltreated child suffering the indignities of Britain's under-resourced care system.
Star: Molly Windsor delivers a masterful evocation. The Unloved avoids the inherent pitfalls of such difficult subject matter.
Morton herself went through care, but this is no angry rant against her experiences, but an enlightening reconstruction of events exorcised through a perceptive and beguiling work of artistry.
Strong support from co-stars Robert Carlyle and Susan Lynch as Molly's estranged and troubled parents seeking personal redemption for the hurt caused and subsequent loss of their angelic daughter.
I can only hope this is not the only helmed piece Samantha Morton brings to this world, as she is indeed a talented voice in a world of increasingly entertainment driven indifference to the bigger issues which surround and impact upon us all. This cinematic picture should have been given a much deserved big-screen distribution.
Assured best new British drama since Red Ridding.
