the film's credits, but also is one that doesn't seem to be held together all that well. Thinking about this film more, it's one that seems to become better on a second view, but after seeing it once, Hallam Foe tends to be a bit problematic having really nice moments, but at times feeling a bit boring as well. The feeling of boredom is strange, when in this film a lot of things happen and keep happening. Though Hallam Foe, the main character, who is perfectly played by Jamie Bell, doesn't really seem to grasp you and make you feel engage completely. His character doesn't completely take you in, compell, as you would expect. It's only when with Kate, the young woman looking almost identical to his mother and who is played by actress Sophia Myles, that he really seems to come alive and you happen to really feel for both. When shown together they create something you as a viewer can hold on to and which before that, the film lacked. Especially the middle part of the film seems to drag on just a bit too long. It seems that, even though Jamie Bell's portrayal is great, his character stays quite distant. Also as a viewer you don't really know what it is he wants. He ends up walking away from home leaving behind his father and his stepmother whom he suspects of murdering his mother who he loved so dearly. Watching Hallam then following this woman who looks like his mother and spying on her like a peeping Tom, you would expect to be totally involved in the story as on paper all the events seem to be easy to cling on to and would make you expect you could easily run away with. Not having read the book though, it seems that the film is quite faithful to the novel it is based on. It therefore can be said that it maybe is too faithful and happens to put too much time in scenes and building up the story which on paper might seem interesting, but on film aren't that much. Being slightly dissapointed with this film I expected would give me much more, Hallam Foe still is a film that can be said to be made quite well. Overall this film is pretty good and more than just decent and it's one I expect to be better seeing it a second time, but a lot of time there felt to be something missing.What is it about?
Hallam Foe a young teenage boy who likes to spy on people from his treehouse which has a big poster on the wall which shows his mother, is having trouble adjusting to his new family life with a new mother who is young and attractive and who seems to be only in it for the money. Constantly in conflict with this stepmother, Verity, and not understanding his father,
Hallam ends up walking away from home and going to London. Being quite extrovert, dressing up and putting paint on his face, this is his way of coping with his mother's death which he suspects Verity to be the cause of. Now in London, with no money, he happens to see a young woman who looks almost identical to his dead mother. Following the woman he ends up working in the hotel she works in, just to be close to her. After figuring out where she lives he starts to spy on her, eventually seeing things he rather would not have seen and which he wasn't supposed to see either. Getting to know this woman, Kate, better Hallam has to start getting real, realizing Kate will never be able to replace the mother he loved so much. While trying to win Kate over Hallam also has to once and for all deal with Verity and find peace in his mother's death.Final Verdict: ***1/2
There are some very interesting shots with a bit of slow-motion and the soundtrack is really cool, using a lot of indie kind of rock and also a bit of electro. The drawings through which the credits are shown look very fresh and sweet and are also quite funny. It fits the film well and gives it this extra element it very much needs. Not knowing what I was in for, because of the trailer that feels quite deceiving, Hallam Foe is much more sexual than I expected. It's not this romanticized story you might expect the film to be when watching the trailer, which almost gives nothing away of the film's plot. For the first time I also felt myself being totally aware of the clips that were shown in the trailer and every time when seeing part of a scene that was shown in the trailer, I tended to really recognize it as such, being clear evidence of
how staged some of these scenes feel to be and how the trailer has made use of them very cleverly to sell this image of a film that seems like this young and fresh depiction of a tale of this young boy trying to figuring out life and who is quite awkward which it all is, but at the same time feels it isn't. Once again showing how deceiving trailers can be as it only shows a stream of clips showing actress Claira Forlani smile, shouting Hallam's name with a big speaker phone and Sophia Myles dancing, while Jamie Bell throws some plates on the floor for no reason. Besides Bell's performance, which is great, he really gets deeply into his character being very convincing in his emotions, one that is very noteworthy is Claire Forlani's portrayal of Hallam's stepmother. Her performance is very strong, showing a woman you love to hate, but at the same time feel sorry for even though she likes to play games, but who is pretty much a victim of the cruel thoughts Hallam holds of her. Hallam Foe ends up being a very difficult film of which it is not so clear what exactly to think. There are moments which are really nice and that will definitely touch you. However, the film seems to come alive only somewhere towards the end, even though not completely, but still then, it's a little too late. Hallam Foe is a good effort and it's not at all bad, but there's this big gap which makes you feel something's missing and which ends up to be never filled up with something special that could have made the film to be more than just alright.
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