The Lives of the Saints

SINOPSIS

The feature debut of co-directors Chris Cottam and photographer Rankin is part of a trend in modern British cinema that glories not just in trying to be original but also in grotesque unpleasantness. From the outset, it's obvious the picture is out to shock, as ageing gangster Karva (played by a bald, bearded James Cosmo) receives sexual favours from his stepson Othello's girlfriend (Emma Pierson). However, the nub of the tale concerns the arrival of an abandoned, speechless boy, who begins to have a huge impact on a north London community by seemingly making dreams come true - from Othello's inability to lose at gambling, to the priest who finds the courage to put on a frock and sing. Cosmo delivers a performance of scenery-chewing gusto that's out of tune with the rest of the cast, which is typical of a film that seems unsure of its intentions - the combination of magic realism and moments of graphic horror is a jarring experience - and ends up a sprawling, overwrought mess.