Samba (15)
three stars
Dirs: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
With: Omar Sy, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Runtime: 119 minutes
YOU may remember a French film from 2011, The Untouchables, which mixed the serious (a life-changing disability) with the lighthearted (an odd couple friendship between a rich man and his carer) to winning effect. The directors then, Olivier Nakache and Eric Toldedano, show the same sure touch in this story of a illegal migrant (played by an excellent Omar Sy) from Senegal who is helped by a Parisian charity worker (ditto the ever charming Charlotte Gainsbourg). Gently sardonic, Samba is clear-eyed in dealing with the migrants' lot, but this is more touching human drama that polemic. For a rom-com-dram with added politics and a hefty slug of sweetness, look no further.
Monsters: Dark Continent (15)
two stars
Dir: Tom Green
With: Joe Dempsie, Sofia Boutella
Runtime: 121 minutes
IT has been five years since Monsters premiered to acclaim at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The future set creature feature written and directed by Gareth Edwards - who went on to Hollywood to helm Godzilla, no less - showed that a tuppence halfpenny budget was no bar to making a film that was exciting and original. The same does not hold true, unfortunately, for this unremarkable follow-up directed by Tom Green. The giant, lumbering, many tentacled monsters, the unique selling point of the original, seem all but forgotten in what soon becomes a stale tale of US Army buddies on a rescue mission.
We Are Monster (15)
three stars
Dir: Antony Petrou
With: Aymen Hamdouchi, Leeshon Alexander
Runtime: 85 minutes
ANTONY Petrou's drama is based on the shocking story of what happened when a violent, racist prisoner was put in the same cell as a young Asian man. Though the warning bells sounded loud and clear, no-one in officialdom was listening. In telling the story, Petrou opts for long monologues by one of the characters, which lends the picture a stagey, one-sided air, and the language, never mind the sense of dread, makes We Are Monster a disturbing and uncomfortable watch. The two young leads, particularly the under-used Aymen Hamdouchi, turn in outstanding performances though.
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