Against the dreary backdrop of Southeast London’s concrete housing estates, the lives of three underclass Brits come crashing down. Gary Oldman’s conversational, improvisatory script follows his characters’ wretched lives in crowded council flats, and tawdry Piccadilly strip joints, with truly outstanding acting and honesty.
For thoughts on Nil By Mouth, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/S1McjAZp5Gs?si=acIn4uMdYOPYXeAl&t=4865]
Video Quality
Nil By Mouth debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio from a new remaster conducted by the BFI National Archive that looks great. This under-the-radar independent film probably was not necessarily expected to get such a caring upgrade, but the results show why it was so important that it did. The natural film grain stays intact and resolves favorably while bringing discrete detail to the forefront. Every grimy element stands out with notable clarity, especially in clothing and elements of the production design. One of the characters is the victim of a brutal beating, and the subsequent makeup work is chilling in its stark glory. Colors are not flashy, but they are deep and nuanced as they bring out the complexity of each hue. Black levels are deep without any egregious blocking or compression artifacts, and the highlights stay resolute. This Blu-Ray is a winner from Sony.
Audio Quality
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings us this Blu-Ray with a worthwhile DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that gets the job done. The soundtrack and the score capably sets the tone of the narrative with a strong presence in the mix. The environmental sounds of the spaces these individuals occupy are persistently defined and given a welcome presence in the speakers. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overshadowed by any of the music or environmental effects. Sony has done a top-tier job with this one. There are English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Nil By Mouth is one of the more draining films we have seen in a bit, mostly due to the tough situations these characters find themselves in. The material never quite veers into poverty porn, but the obstacles faced by these characters are often soul-crushing. All of this is brought to life through the guided hand of first-time feature director Gary Oldman, who seems to use his expertise as one of our finest performers to get the best out of his realistic ensemble. It is a shame that Oldman has not been given more to do behind the camera because he is quite good at it. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and nothing in the way of special features. If you are not afraid of miserable characters, this is worth a watch. Recommended
Nil By Mouth can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
