A fan of English speaking foreign films, Gwen, a drama that takes place on Wales, has excellent acting, direction and a good storyline. Taking place in the early 20th Century, the camera work, costumes and props do a great job taking of you to the misty highlands of the Welsh farm settled on its expansive plateau. If you like a compelling film that deals with a dastardly land grabber and a woman who won’t give up her homestead, the DVD or blu-ray Gwen is definitely worth watching.
After playing on a ridge not far from their house, Gwen and Mari pass their neighbor’s farm and see the charred dead bodies of the owners being taken away by the coroner. Hurrying home their mother Elen consoles them. Without a man in the household, as he’s fighting in a war, Elen has to fend for her two adolescent daughters. Being sickly and having very little money, their farm gets attacked one night and their sheep are found dead.
It’s a huge setback for the family and we find the three desperate with no protection and very little food. Director and screenwriter William McGregor does a terrific job of setting up an untenable situation. His characters look very real and have to deal with the land, the homestead and people in the village near a quarry on the base of the steep hills. He makes his film very dank and dim with damp fields, an aging home and a shroud of fear.
The acting by the destitute family is so realistic and heartfelt that it makes the film gripping. As the downtrodden mother who fiercely defends her land, Maxine Peake shows her strong will in her fight to keep the quarry owner from taking her land. Her Elen has to show her love for the two children knowing full well that it’s an uphill battle without her husband.
As the youngest daughter Mari, Jodie Jones keeps her character inquisitive while showing a deep seeded fear of her surroundings. Trying not to be another problem for her mom, she keeps her distance and obeys her commands. She shows a good deal of psychological damage living on the farm that’s her only safe port in her predicament.
Making the film a must watch, Eleanor Worthington-Cox gives an amazing performance as Gwen, the teen that’s coming of age in the middle of a nightmare. She knows that she has to take control of her family with mom fighting seizures and making frightening decisions. Her actions to keep her sister out of harm’s way is her only solace, but finds the going very rough. Worthington-Cox is a star on the rise with this performance showing her ability to carry a film that has a nice mixture of dread, angst and passion.
GWEN bonus features: the Blu-ray and DVD include the following
“An interview with Maxine Peake”
“An interview with Eleanor Worthington-Cox”
“Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery”
“Photo Gallery”
Gwen has not been rated by the MPAA, but does contain violence, gory images and some brutality. It is now available of blu-ray and DVD for home viewing.
FINAL ANALYSIS: An excellent film for drama fans. (4 out of 5 Stars)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Maxine Peake, Jodie Jones, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Director and screenwriter: William McGregor
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, contains violence, gore, brutality
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min.
Video Release Date: October 8, 2019
Original Theatrical Release Date: August 16, 2019
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: 16×9, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Number of Discs: 1 disc
Distributed by: Shudder and RLJE Films
Released on: Blu-ray, DVD, color
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
