Synopsis
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.
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Cast
- Ray WinstoneRay
- Kathy BurkeValerie
- Charlie Creed-MilesBilly
- Laila MorseJanet
- Edna DoréKath
- Chrissie CotterillPaula
- Jon MorrisonAngus
- Jamie ForemanMark
- Neil MaskellSchmuddie
- Steve SweeneyDanny
Recommendations
- 88
Chicago Sun-Times
Nil by Mouth is not an unrelieved shriek of pain. There is humor in it, and tender insight. - 88
ReelViews
Nil by Mouth is as powerful as it is uncomfortable, and those in search of a pleasant movie-going experience would be best served looking elsewhere. However, for anyone who isn't bothered by the thought of experiencing a shock to the system, this film is not to be missed. It approaches a serious social issue in the best, most dramatically true manner. - 83
The A.V. Club
Shot through a bleary haze of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and hard drugs, Nil By Mouth is the cinematic equivalent of Oldman's old acting style, a return to form by absentia. - 80
The New York Times
Even for American audiences used to the argot of Mike Leigh films, the accents are thick here and the characters impenetrable at first. But it isn't long before the film begins exerting a powerful hold, once the hard edges of its story begin to emerge. - 80
NME
Gary Oldman made his directorial debut with this startling portrait of life in a deprived part of south-east London. - 75
USA Today
Nil is harrowing and soul-sapping, a look into the heart of darkness of London's underclass. - 75
San Francisco Chronicle
A semi-autobiographical tale of addiction, anger and domestic violence, Nil by Mouth is as blunt and unsparing as a fist to the gut. - 75
San Francisco Examiner
Nil by Mouth is slow to get going, and meanders before its impact scenes in the second half. Still, its final intensity can leave you exhausted. If you stay with the picture, it's a powerful experience you're unlikely to forget.
