Nil By Mouth Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
The family of Raymond, his wife Val and her brother Billy live in working-class London district. Also in their family is Val and Billy's mother Janet and grandmother Kath. Billy is a drug addict and Raymond kicks him out of the house, making him live on his own. Raymond is generally a rough and even violent person, and that leads to problems in the life of the family.
| Ray Winstone | Ray |
| Charlie Creed-Miles | Billy |
| Jon Morrison | Angus |
| Jamie Foreman | Mark |
| Steve Sweeney | Danny |
| Terry Rowley | M.C. in Club |
| Sam Miller | Club Comic |
| Gerry Bromfield | Drug Dealer |
| Neil Maskell | Schmuddie |
| Sid Golder | Old Guy in Window |
| John Blundell | Man with Knife |
| Kenan Hudaverdi | Laundrette Owner |
| Everton Nelson | Street Violinist |
| Ronnie Fox | Peter, pool player |
| Dan Carey | Band Musician |
7.20 out of 10 (2464 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Most realistic depiction of estate life
posted on 01 Jul 2009This film does a better job of depicting the miserable end of English council estate living than anything else I've ever seen. I was a police officer in the 1990s, and spent 90% of my working life in the kinds of places, and with the kinds of people, that make up this amazing film. The never-ending violence, drug abuse and poverty is something I saw in real life every day. It was hard to express to people who have not lived in that world just how it really looks and feels. From now on, I will tell them to watch this film, which gives the closest look you'll get as an outsider to that side of life.I should also say that the language was spot on. People really do swear that much....
Oldman cuts to the bone
posted on 07 Jun 2009In Sturges' classic "Sullivan's Travels," a swank film director announces to his butler: "I'm going out on the road to find out what it's like to be poor and needy, and then I'm going to make a film about it." The butler snorts: "It you permit me to say Sir, the subject is not an interesting one. The poor know all about poverty, and only the morbid rich would find the topic glamorous." Love it or hate it, Nil by Mouth digs deep inside and never lets you go. Unlike Sullivan, Oldman had only to look inside himself to find his subject. He does an honest and remarkable job. Of course a film of this type is not going to win any Oscars - Oldman didn't make it to please anyone. Most will find this nihilistic and depressing, and they're right. Suffice to say, Oldman is a natural craftsman. If he continues to follow his heart and gut, who knows what else he might accomplish. A remarkable debut.
Bleak raw movie that cuts to the bone with its sheer force
posted on 26 May 2009This is far from an easy movie to watch and is not really a good definition of `entertainment' (although it is disturbingly compelling). It's got about as much hilarity as `Monster's Ball', `Dancer in the Dark' and `Requiem for a Dream'.There's not really a plot here. What we're looking at is a family in council housing - a poor, distraught family, torn apart by the people. Kathy Burke is Valerie, the long suffering wife of Ray (Ray Winstone). Ray is a drunken abusive man, haunted by his demons. He fights regularly with Valerie's heroin addicted brother, who cannot escape his own life style. Over this watches Valerie's mother, Janet, in a resigned fashion, lost to any real hope of something different. We get to spend some time with these characters, seeing how their lives develop. Unlike traditional movie structures we're not really building to a giant convergence of plot lines, a climatic final scene. Real life is not like that - it's a series of events, marked by occasions. This is the view the movie takes and it works well because it makes it far more credible than a final showdown involving a gun and a murder. What's even more interesting is that while Ray is `bad' he could not be quite considered evil - there's a darkness in him that he's fighting against. There's a great scene involving a telephone which brilliantly highlights how torn apart these characters are and how nothing is ever quite as simple as you would like to believe.The acting is astonishing. I can't praise either Burke or Winstone enough. One of the reasons this movie is so unnerving is that the characters are believable - and this is due to the actors behind them. When Winstone's face becomes animated with range it really seems like he is ferocious, full of venom. You would race across the other side of the street from him, seeing the fury inside this man. Burke herself could have just played the demure wife but she adds far more complexity. Yes she is suffering, but there's a great hint of steel beneath her - shown in the delivery of a dialog, or the turn on a face. By not distracting us with pretty faces, director Gary Oldham manages to deliver actual characters. The energy - unflinching - delivered by them makes them seem horribly like people you know can exist within miles of your home.Oldham himself shows a good directorial view. The movie uses a lot of hand-cameras (and presumably some unusual film stock) to get a grittier realism. This is aided by some excellent cinematography - the lighting is bleak, subdued, in keeping with the movie. Even the sunshine is pale, as if there's never really any hope to be had. The sound design is crisp, and generally minimalist - instead letting the camera and acting tell the story rather than forced manipulation via a composed piece. The set design also deserves a nod - the house around which a lot of the movie resolves has a real `lived in' feel. Too often Hollywood directors décor their house in a few luxury sofas and leave it at that. Here there's a real sense of a home with condiments and grit engrained in the walls. It all adds up the power. Ultimately though it is Oldham's unflinching depiction of the events that stands in the movies favour - the camera is close, it's there, you cannot escape through some banal metaphor (which is typical of most movies).`Nil By Mouth' is more of an `experience' movie. It's a wrenching, arresting viewing that is sometimes very difficult to watch because you know there's a horrible shade of truth to it. It's not necessarily something you'd watch repeatedly (unless you've a shade of masochism to you), but it is something that will leave a little indelible mark on you as something to muse on. Definitely worth seeing - but be prepared. 8.1/10.
The People, Places and Situations Displayed In "Nil by Mouth" Are More Than A Taste Of Squalor
posted on 26 Apr 2009It was throughout the late '80s and '90s that Gary Oldman rose to tremendous fame. A British actor famed for performing as villains and undesirables, while also often being mistaken as American due to his treasured ability of crafting a pitch-perfect accent. It was not until 1997 that Oldman decided it was his turn to shine behind the camera, and managed to have past collaborator Luc Besson produce the incredibly personal, Nil by Mouth. In some respects the film is a social-commentary, speaking to Britain's Labour government at the time and arguing that politicians are doing little to help improve such areas as those displayed in the film. On the other hand, it is merely a portrait an unthinkable lifestyle.Domestic violence, drug abuse and a general sense of depravity fills such a story, but none of it is in any way gratuitous because everything shown is the bare-knuckled truth. It is the stuff which is kept relatively quiet in the media, only glossed over and never showing the full perspective, yet Nil by Mouth directly tackles depravation from an insider's perception, someone who experienced the relatively unthinkable during childhood and adulthood. In such an environment innocence is destroyed at an early age and the realisation that life will be –for such people- an endless struggle until death. It is a cynical take on life, which cannot be ignored, since there is little redemption and only a recurring cycle of the inevitable. Told through a first-person narrative; Oldman revisits his past through the photographic lens and finally lays his memories to rest through the art of still, long neglected scrutiny (but with unsurprisingly frantic camera work).Ray Winstone performs with the utmost level of conviction in the film's centrepiece performance. As per-usual, Winstone's ferocious mannerisms and contagiously aggressive language is a recognisable acting trait. The only performance in 1997 which surpassed the one at hand was Takeshi Kitano's performance in Hana-bi. It is the fragile self-loathing and longing for pity which makes Winstone's role all the more recognisable, let alone excitingly unpredictable. He pinpoints the moment of one man's realisation that his masochistic self is tearing apart the lives that surround him; nerve-shattering stuff. Then you have the leading female performance from Kathy Burke, who avoids –by every means- a begging desperation (which would be deserved) for sympathy, but instead holds the ability to evoke such feelings due to her profound and defiant image of a mother caged by her inescapable surroundings. Both performances did not even receive the courtesy of even an Oscar nomination, and after seeing Nil by Mouth you may possibly loose hope in the academy (providing you have not lost it already).See the rain patter London's streets, see the tears behind the violence and see the sorrow disguised by the naturalistic humour. Oldman has rid himself of a demon and has allowed us to witness his fearless and sympathetic honesty. As with most work of such a fierce and uncompromising nature, Nil by Mouth is by no means an enjoyable experience, but rather a fascinating one, which should be admired and not indulged in. British cinema has –partially due to culture- always been of the gritty kind because of its reoccurring focus on distraught lives, and Oldman's seminal study of urban squalor could easily be mistaken for a documentary. Alas, none of what is shown is photogenic, but there is beauty behind the void of hellish activity and the slow-burning cycle of immorality.
If you're not British, you may hate this film.
posted on 18 Mar 2009As a screenwriter, you learn NEVER to use dialog as your main device to introduce your characters. Don't TELL the audience who they are... SHOW them instead. Unfortunately, Gary Oldman did not learn this lesson. The first half hour of this movie introduces his South London characters through nothing but London lingo (fast, cockney-esque, and completely unintelligible to a non-Brit). I was extraordinarily disappointed with this film. But, if you hold on long enough, the action will pick up... but you may have to rewind during the first act (with the closed caption option selected) before you can really dig your teeth into what Gary Oldman is trying to show us in his brutally honest portrayal of how miserable life can be in South London (Oldman's favorite theme, it appears). Good Luck!
A must see movie-an Oldman masterpiece.
posted on 06 Mar 2009What a well made and stunning movie of life on a British council estate of a family with a violent father and poor cow mother , one of the types of women that gets a regular beating from the old man and yet still go back to him. the performances by Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke should have got them award after award. with more cursing than I've heard in a movie, although its typical for a low class family in those types of situations, with a drug using , stealing relative and strong acting from Laila Morse (garys sister) a must see movie, but make sure the kids are in bed !! the movie also has a great soundtrack which I cant find anywhere !
Well made and successful in what it set out to do, but ultimately too bleak and grim for me
posted on 01 Oct 2008STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Ray (Ray Winstone) has a criminal past, has had problems with alcohol and is now forming a drug habit that is making him paranoid and prone to domestic violence to his wife Valerie (Kathy Burke) who tries to hold the family together but ends up coming off more like a doormat. Meanwhile, her mother Janet (Laila Morse) is aware of Ray's son, Billy (Charlie Creed-Miles) and his escalating drug habit that is sending him off the rails. The film follows these despairable characters as they tredge along with their lives.It is said that the British seem to enjoy being miserable, and that would include watching films that entertain them this way. Films like Nil by Mouth highlight this. It's a tale of a broken family, torn apart by crime, poverty, booze and drugs, the kind Jeremy Kyle would lap up like a three course meal. It is also essentially a tale of self destructive men, three generations apart and each copying the other, tearing a family apart and women trying to hold it together, despite not being strong enough. If you pick up a little of what it's about from the off-set, you can see it doesn't promise to be cheerful viewing from the start and it certainly doesn't disappoint in this.It's true what everyone said about the performances, and the lead stars, Winstone and Burke, do deliver some great acting. We see Winstone lose it with his wife, beating her senseless after some more coke induced paranoia, breaking down during a phone conversation with her and unleashing a typical arsenal of f and c words when she refuses to let him see his kid. Likewise, in a private moment, we see Burke skillfully lose her composure on a staircase, the full impact of the night before kicking in.This is another of those films where there's no 'plot' to follow, as such, just a real life feel of these hopeless lives carrying on from one day to the next. It's been acclaimed by many (including the Baftas!) but it really was just too grim and bleak for me. I have no right to criticize it for this, knowing what I knew about it from the off-set, but sadly this is how I found it. **
Family
posted on 27 Jul 2008Kathy Burke portrays the battered wife extremely well - taking it as part and parcel of being an east-end wide-boy's other half. It is inenvitable that she will go back to him (Ray Winstone) after her severe beating as that's the life she knows and as she holds traditional family views of marriage she wants her child to be raised by a mother and a father. She believes in love.The extended family plays a major role in supporting her, her mother (Leila Morse) is a hardenedwoman but with a heart. They are not shocked by the going-ons of thedestruction caused by alcohol and drug addition. They just get on with it and this is a powerful message that with family, love and support, you can conquer any mountain.People see it as a depressing and disturbing film but the finalgestures and actions of all the characters suggest otherwise. Gary Oldman has done a great job in directing this film and it was brave of him and his sister to tackle a very difficult subject which has obviously affected their lives so deeply.
Britfilm at its absolute peak
posted on 18 Jul 2008Nil by Mouth would be an important film if only for the fact that it reminded the good British public that Ray Winstone isn't just an asset to a film, but a resource all on his own! However, Gary Oldman's directorial debut is so much more than that - a searing, affecting film that leaves a lasting impression.Exceptionally foul-mouthed, Nil by Mouth is a slice-of-life drama in the style of Mike Leigh or Alan Clarke (directors Oldman was very familiar with from having worked with them as a young actor); there is no classic Hollywood structure, no safety-net of a clear-plot through which we discover the characters. The cast of this film are never introduced, we are just thrown into the middle of their world and expected to adjust, treat them like people we have known for years. Because of this, the film's tale of domestic violence, alcoholism, heroin abuse and father-son relationship attains the kind of power lacking in most films. It helps that writer-director Oldman is writing about the world in which he grew up, and has populated it with real-looking (read: unattractive) actors.Winstone is, of course, magnificent in the role of Ray, a marauding south London man on the brink of mental collapse, who takes out his unarticulated frustrations on his helpless wife Valerie, played with equal brilliance by Kathy Burke, who proves that she is far more than just a comic actress. Charlie Creed-Miles, Jamie Foreman and Laila Morse (now on TV as 'Big Mo' in EastEnders) provide sterling support.It is a difficult film to watch, but not just because of its often-disturbing scenes of domestic violence. Oldman's commitment to realism means that all dialogue is extremely south London specific (almost incomprehensible to non-London viewers), and un-coordinated in that characters often speak over each other, making some of the dialogue inaudible. It takes a while to get used to, but it becomes an ingenious way of tricking the audience into believing that what they see is the result of a hidden camera in someone's living room/pub/car/garage.Nil by Mouth is definitely worth seeing, more than once. It has hidden depths and sensitivity that become more apparent with repeated viewings. It is a genuine masterpiece of 'cinema verite' - the only question is: why hasn't Gary Oldman directed another film?
A CLASSIC portrayal of REAL life in lower class Britain.
posted on 09 Jul 2008What a gruelling film. What outstanding performances. How extremely painful it is to watch at times. Very unnerving. What do I like about this film? It shows me the bare facts (okay, it's fictional but it's supposed to be semi-autobiographical too) and considers I have enough intelligence to look at it and see what Gary Oldman is trying to say on my own without having to be led. Some people might say it "lacks a story". I don't believe it's trying to tell a story. I believe this film is showing us how people really live without any pretty faces including Hollywood style sparkling white teeth. I grew up in an area similar to this (I am English and live in the US at the moment)and I, like many people the world over, have experienced physical abuse going on in the room next door. It's real. This is what it sounds like and feels like. Well done Gary for having the balls to show it like it is.
Literally striking
posted on 19 May 2008Gary Oldman has only written and directed one film, but 'Nil By Mouth', a visceral and ferociously unsentimental portrait of south London's criminal underbelly, reveals a considerable talent in both departments. Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke won most of the plaudits, but in truth, it's an ensemble piece, and all of the cast are excellent. When the colour of the story turns from dark to pitch black about two-thirds of the way through, the viewer is it by a punch reminiscent of those being thrown on-screen. The film reminded me of Mike Leigh's Naked, another movie about a sociopath in London; but whereas Leigh's protagonist was fiercely intelligent and stubbornly attractive in spite of his monstrous behaviour, Winstone plays a man who, while very human, is too far gone to possess any possibility of salvation, and it's arguable that the film is a little too long, given the fact that the audience cannot like this man. But it's still a (literally) striking and horrific movie; and it's a shame that Oldman has not been tempted to get behind the camera since.
A Cacophony of Rage, Rush and Livewire Emotions
posted on 13 Feb 2008There is no end to the impact of the likes of a film like Nil By Mouth. There is no end to the intensity of it. It isn't just a film about a bunch of people screaming basic, hateful, tremendously profane things at each other. It is those people screaming those things. And it is screaming them out on to grainy, restless cinematography, the camera always seeming as if it's an engine revving up for a race, a story as simple as one can possibly be, completely uninhibited by related strands or details, and characters as real and as much of an effort to face as the kitchen sink after washing dishes, just the sort of lower-class, lesser endowed people whose neighborhoods we lock our doors driving through. The film is a cacophony of rage, rush, and livewire emotions. It's like being confronted face to face with a barrel- chested, rock-headed angry barfly.The cast is wonderful, but for the most part, we don't think about that. There is something about Gary Oldman's direction, as an actor himself whose work has a tendency to be of an impulse-heavy, self-projected nature, that forcefully guides these actors to be what they are, be in the moment, and just be. Their characters build not be inhabiting another personality but by intensifying their own. Actors like Oldman, take Marlon Brando for example, have always puzzled me with the impassioned denial that becoming another character is real acting. Now, because of Oldman's loving control over his very personal, white hot film, I believe I understand what is meant by that primal and cardinal philosophy, and it really has a profound ring to it.The outstanding voice in the film's cast, however, is none other than Ray Winstone. He is an absolute force to be reckoned with in every way imaginable here. I have always enjoyed him as an actor, whose performances, dominant or submissive, always have us saying, "Yes sir." As such an obviously powerful actor, he has the sensitivity to buckle under the weaker mortal side to his characters, as is the case in Sexy Beast and even in The Departed, and is as resonant as ever in Nil By Mouth. What a tough, intimidating man he is, what a shockingly violent man he is, and what a toll he must pay. There is a scene in this film featuring only him that stands firmly and equally beside Robert De Niro's scene in the jail cell in Raging Bull.The mindset behind a film like Nil By Mouth is a matter of telling the story that's right in front of your face. What is it about? How does one synopsize a free-roaming, acidy, jostling narrative like Oldman's? Look up from your computer, or lose yourself in the hypnotic state you must be in as you read this and let the screen blur, and take a subjective look at your life, the people in it, the anger you feel, what you feel it towards, whether that's something you can figure out or not, and think of it if you wrote a script about it, dramatizing it, building an arch of screen violence and cinematic flare the size of your most tangible furious passion for it. Then you've got what it takes to make a film like Nil By Mouth. That's what Gary Oldman did, and that is wonderful. That is what so many films should be made of and aren't.Nil By Mouth will always be held in a special group of films in my eyes, which includes Mean Streets, Faces, and Buffalo '66 as the starting few. It was imagined, written and directed with such a personal perspective, such an attendance of the emotional face that is the filmmaker identifying itself which flushes the entire film with a style and feel that is entirely its own.
Real life in 90's London Council estate.
posted on 15 Dec 2007If you can cope with the swearing that almost makes your ears sting, you should be in awe of the stunning performances of Ray Winston and Kathy Burke. The way of life seems almost hopeless, and if you think this is not true to life, think again. I never lived on an estate like this, but I did drive an ambulance for ten years in the areas that this film is set; believe me, people do exist in this way. There is a scene where Ray Winstone is talking to his best friend about what his dad was like, and how he felt as a kid. Gritty in the extreme and yet intensely moving. The ending is, at first impression surprising, and yet it leaves you wondering if this is just an uncharacteristic plateau in an otherwise downward spiral. Its worth comparing this film with another starring Kathy Burke as the mum, with Lee Evans as the dad. THE MARTINS. A similar life style but with a comic slant; it also contains a role by Ray Winstone as well! You actually end up quite liking this totally dysfunctional family!!Clive.
Hard to watch, but ultimately worth it
posted on 28 Oct 2007I had been wanting to see this film for a long time but never got around to it. Finally caught it on cable a few weeks ago and was very impressed. Everything about this film demonstrates the skill of the film-maker in staying true to the gritty subject matter. Use of hand held camera adds to the cinematic realism as does the way the family are never seen together in one shot until the very end of the film. The subject matter, especially the drug abuse, is shot with gritty realism that I have rarely seen before. It looks like Gary Oldman knows his stuff about life in working class London. All performances are outstanding, Ray Winstone is always worth watching, but the lesser know members of the case also amazed me with the honesty of their performances. Although this film is difficult to watch in some scenes, it is a must see for anyone serious about realism in cinema.
Like a fresh breeze from England's gutters
posted on 15 Jun 2007I liked this films' authentic look.I have middle class friends who describe this film as "depressing".To me it was uplifting. It was great to see all these working class characters, even the horrible one, portrayed with a feeling of dignity and sincereness.Not your average plastic movie. Real life, real emotions. I liked it, because it at last portrayed the life of the modern underclass with realism. The characters take over the story in this film, so if you like that, take a look. Thank you, Gary Oldman.
An unpleasant slice of life
posted on 22 May 2007I have a very hard time watching this movie. This is not a movie to put in for a relaxing night at home, as its very painful to watch. This is reality. These are situations that are happening right now in homes across the world.This movie is extremely powerful in its portrayal of a working class British family, as the struggle with problems such as drug and domestic abuse. The acting is simply amazing. It practically transcends acting and you feel that you are watching real people struggle through these things. Its a reality show in which the people don't know they're being watched. This film is a tough journey to take, as its very painful and emotional, but it is ultimately rewarding to sit through it and reach the conclusion.Very highly recommended, but be warned, this movie pulls no punches and shows you life as it is.
Powerful and realistic depiction of South London in the 90s
posted on 01 Apr 2007Faithful and violent depiction of working class south London family in the late 90s. A whirlwind of violence, drugs and an all-time record for the f-word (552 times overall) make this a very intense experience both in positive and negative emotions in which you get a hold of how - amidst all types of problems - people continue surviving through inner strength and occasional perversely dark humor. The performances all around are absolutely spotless, specially those of the three main characters: Ray Winston, Kathy Burke and Charlie Creed-Miles do a stunning job and well the directing from Gary Oldman is top notch. I've heard this is loosely autobiographical and well if it is, you have to respect Gary for being able to pull it through the ranks of show business. Highly Recommended and you can't absolutely miss it if you have any kind of interest for the British culture.
The greatest British film ever made? Quite possibly.
posted on 31 Jan 2007Gary Oldman's directorial debut is a genuine masterpiece of modern cinema; combining remarkable performances and an outstanding script and direction, to say this is the finest British-set picture to date is highly likely. The fact that Oldman's film failed to get any recognition at this year's Academy Awards show just what a joke the Oscars are. After all, "Nil By Mouth" is a million times better than "Titanic" (Though it was produced on a fraction of the budget) and just about every other American motion picture for some years. Never afraid to confront the chilling realities of modern life, Oldman's film follows the day to day reality of one particular family living in South London. Within its two hour plus narrative, "Nil by Mouth" confronts such issues as drug addiction, domestic violence and petty crime in an exceptionally mature but often frightingly realistic way. Indeed, its realism may be at the very core of this film's success, and is both partially due to some extraordinary performances (Ray Winstone, in particular, is quite remarkable) and Oldman's direction and script. This is a social realist film, and is one that you can't help coming away from knowing fully well that Oldman knows exactly what he's talking about when it comes to his portrayal of modern life for so many. He avoids stereotyping completely, and whilst just about all of the films dialogue is littered with cruelty and coarseness, this simply adds to the realist factor, and helps us to focus in all the more on the sad reality of the lives that the film's characters are leading. Indeed, amongst the movie's grittiness and realism, there is a genuine heart somewhere, although that tends to be shown within the films mise-en-scene, rather than in the dialogue (The sequence where Ray's young daughter flies a bright red balloon into the sky whilst standing on the grounds of the housing estate is one such example). All in all, "Nil by Mouth" is hard cinema, but great cinema. It's a film that may not go down quite so well with American audiences (It fails to follow the greatly misinformed conventions that Americans seem to feel come with life in England, such as perfect manners and lots of tea-drinking), but, otherwise, this is an essential and highly re-watchable movie, with just about every single scene open to much discussion and analysis (There's simply far too much to even begin to mention in this review). Superb.
Nil by Mouth
posted on 16 Jan 2007This was the directorial debut from the great actor Gary Oldman, and it is a very good drama, and apparently there are moments based on Oldman's own past life. I don't know the meaning of the title, but it might be something to do with the bad language use. Starring BAFTA and Cannes Film Festival nominated Ray Winstone as Ray, BAFTA and Cannes Film Festival Award winning Kathy Burke in a serious/non-comedic role as Valerie, Charlie Creed-Miles as Billy and (Oldman's older sister) EastEnders' Laila Morse as Janet. This film has everything you need for a good British film. It has violence (worst being Ray beating Valerie to the ground), family issues, and the most bad language I have seen in a live film (the only other film close is cartoon South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut), apparently it has the F word 470 F times, and the C word 42 times (there seemed more). It won the BAFTAs for the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film and Best Original Screenplay for Oldman. Very good!
Superb! Superb! Superb!
posted on 24 Aug 2009If European films strove for the depth, truth and honesty displayed in "Nil By Mouth", then maybe European cinema could once again become relevant and vital to European audiences. Instead of imitating the sentimentality of Hollywood filmmaking, "Nil By Mouth" shows the inimitable power of a film based on superb acting and honest storytelling. There is hope, after all, for European films.