Rent Nil by Mouth (1997)
3.7 of 5 from 187 ratings
2h 8min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
An uncompromising, double-Bafta winning portrait of a particular milieu of working-class family life in southeast London, where its writer and director grew up, 'Nil by Mouth' is a powerful, astute, authentically foul-mouthed account of unfettered machismo, booze and drugs, petty crime and domestic abuse. The performances are mesmerising throughout, with Ray Winstone as the volatile and self-pitying Ray, Kathy Burke as his longsuffering wife Val and Charlie Creed-Miles as her junkie brother Billy. Shot and scripted in a deceptively casual realist style reminiscent of John Cassavetes, this profoundly personal and humane film eschews sensationalism and sentimentality to illuminate a vicious circle of abuse and criminality. A dark but dazzling masterwork. - Actors:
- Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles, Laila Morse, Edna Doré, Chrissie Cotterill, Jon Morrison, Jamie Foreman, Steve Sweeney, Terry Rowley, Sam Miller, Leah Fitzgerald, Gerry Bromfield, Neil Maskell, Sid Golder, John Blundell, Kenan Hudaverdi, Everton Nelson, Ronnie Fox, Frances Ashman
- Directors:
- Gary Oldman
- Producers:
- Luc Besson, Gary Oldman, Douglas Urbanski
- Writers:
- Gary Oldman
- Studio:
- 20th Century Fox
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- Acting Up: Top 10 Performances At Cannes, Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2024, Top 100 BFI Films, Top Films
- Awards:
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 05/12/2022
- Run Time:
- 128 minutes
- Languages:
- English Audio Description, English Dolby Digital Stereo, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.66:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary by Gary Oldman and Douglas Urbanski
- Setting The Record Straight (2022, 51 mins): Gary Oldman in conversation with film critic Geoff Andrew
- A Slice of Life (2022, 22 mins): Ray Winstone looks back on his Bafta-nominated performance
- Talent is Worth Trusting: Douglas Urbanski on 'Nil by Mouth' (2022, 16 mins): Gary Oldman's long-time collaborator and the producer of Nil by Mouth discusses how the film came to be made Fearing the Worst: Charlie Creed-Miles on 'Nil by Mouth' (2022, 28 mins): the actor discusses his role as Billy, from his audition to some of the key scenes in the film
- People Were Queuing for Any Role (2022, 16 mins): casting director Sue Jones recalls her work on the film
- Mother (1994, 7 mins): the only surviving footage recorded by Gary Oldman for an unrealised documentary about his mother's life and experiences
- Deleted scenes (1997, 38 mins): a series of deleted scenes selected by Gary Oldman
- Galleries - a selection of stills and rare production materials from Gary Oldman's personal archive Children (1976, 46 mins): written while still a student, Terence Davies' film has an uncompromising honesty that is echoed in Nil by Mouth
- Trailer (2022)
- Disc 1:
- This disc includes the main feature
- Disc 2:
- This disc includes special features
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Reviews (3) of Nil by Mouth
Winstone and Burke at their best - Nil by Mouth review by TB
This film is tough to watch in places (violence and drugs use) but despite it being a 7 out of 10 film, both Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke put in sensational performances.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Blu-ray Berm - Nil by Mouth review by JJ
Good to see this out in HD at last. Excellent job by BFI - every brutal frame glowing in lush, grainy glory.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
South London's Taxi Driver - Nil by Mouth review by griggs
Nil by Mouth is an extraordinary piece of cinema that resonates deeply with anyone familiar with the gritty realities of South East London. As someone who has grown up and still lives in this area, I feel that the film’s raw portrayal of life feels less like a kitchen sink drama and more like a fly-on-the-wall documentary.
The authenticity of the characters and their environment is both compelling and distressing. Ray Winstone, Laila Moran and Kathy Burke deliver performances that are nothing short of incredible, embodying their roles with a visceral intensity that makes the film hard to watch yet impossible to look away from. Their portrayals are so genuine that they blur the lines between acting and reality, capturing the essence of a world many would rather forget.
In his directorial debut, Gary Oldman crafts a brutally honest and deeply personal narrative. His depiction of the underbelly of South East London is uncompromising, showcasing the harshness of life that, for the best reasons, is slowly being eroded by gentrification. While the changing landscape might be welcomed, the film is a stark reminder of a past that is still a part of the area’s identity.
Nil by Mouth is South London’s equivalent to Taxi Driver, a cinematic exploration of a society’s darker aspects. It’s a powerful statement on the human condition, and while it’s not an easy watch, it’s essential. One can only hope that Oldman returns to filmmaking soon, as his voice and vision are as necessary now as they were when this was released in 1997.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.