The Scouting Book for Boys
Dir: Tom Harper
2009
***
Tom Harper (who was only 29 year old at the time of directing this film) starts the film off as if it was a light-hearted coming of age TV drama, with a few goofy and somewhat exaggerated characters stuck in for good measure and based within a holiday camp community that doesn't really exist in real life. I added up his age and lack of experience, judged the book by its cover and read this film wrong. More fool me. Tom Harper is quite the illusionist and the setting, characters and fake mustache upon Steven Mackintosh's face were all part of his clever plan to distract the audience from his slight of hand. There is a dreamlike melancholia from the outset of the film, helped greatly by Thomas Turgoose's distant, subtle but effective performance. This highlights the somewhat absurd characters but then that is exactly what they are to him. The Scouting Book for Boys is a film that you will work out, little by little, over the few days after watching. The conclusion is awesome and most unexpected and a truly original surprise. It's not perfect but it impressive and certainly leaves an impression, I just hope Tom Harper goes back to film soon as British film needs a little bit more of what he's got.