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Preview by: Jack Foley
WHEN not swinging a light-sabre in Star
Wars, or putting on a fake American accent for Black
Hawk Down, Ewan McGregor much prefers indulging in a spot
of independent film-making, particularly if it involves a little
clothes-shedding and, dare we say, controversy.
Young Adam promises plenty of both, if the media coverage thus
far is anything to go by.
The jovial Scot stars as Joe, a drifter who, after shacking up
with a barge-owning couple, comes across a body in the canal,
which opens up a huge can of worms.
Scot, at first, denies any involvement in the body, but as events
unfold, it soon becomes clear that he isn't as innocent as at
first thought.
Gradually, viewers will find out about Joe's past relationship
with the dead woman, as, in the meantime, an unspoken attraction
develops between Joe and one of the barge-owners, Ella, heightening
the claustrophobic tensions in the confined space of the barge.
The film was screened out of competition at the recent Cannes
Film Festival and is also due to open the Edinburgh Film Festival
on August 13.
The film itself is an adaptation of Alexander Trocchi's cult
novel and co-stars Tilda Swinton, Peter Mullan and Emily Mortimer.
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It has been described as an 'elegant, strange and beguiling'
study of existential discontent.
The Cannes reaction also seemed to suggest that the film boasts
powerhouse performances from McGregor and, more notably, Swinton
- who continues to live up to the promise she showed in The
Deep End.
With that in mind, however, it seems much of the publicity surrounding
the film will come from the graphic depictions of sex, which have
already earned it a spot of notoriety in The Sun newspaper.
One scene, in particular, in which McGregor gets to display his
own young Adam looks set to dominate headlines, which could prove
to the detriment of the movie itself.
Nonetheless, director, David Mackenzie, has won the respect and
admiration of his stars and looks set to cement a growing reputation,
following his highly-acclaimed debut, The Last Great Wilderness,
earlier this year.
And if you're still not convinced, then the Edinburgh Film Festival
website states that Young Adam is 'elegant, strange and beguiling;
a study of existential discontent as well as a resonant, beautifully
modulated relationship drama', which it describes as 'the finest
British film of the year'.
The film is due for a UK release on September 26. Needless to
say, it has already been certified 18.
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