Lauded by the NYC Independent Film Festival by winning "Best Narrative Feature" as well as a decent bit of favourable reviews, Mile End is an unsurely conveyed, but ultimately fascinating, production that interweaves relatable themes with skillful execution that all boils down to a semi-successful character study. Mile End follows Paul (Alex Humes), a simple and reserved man who questions his competence after suddenly getting fired from his job. Unknowing of the future, he finds solace and self-improvement in marathon running. During one jog, Paul meets John (Mark Arnold), an upbeat and philosophical American man. They both discuss topics such as struggle and employment, and eventually become friends. John's outlook on life revolves around bending the rules, which he follows to a fault. Humes is decent as an everyman who suddenly gets his life turned around by one person (a trope we should see more). However, notably outshining Humes, Arnold steals the show by giving a performance that demonstrates two sides to his persona. One side is a friendly Jack Lemmon-esque character that simply wants to help, and the other is unexpectedly psychotic. It is impressive to convey a sense of initial likability and then turn that into equal uneasiness for the character. This other persona paves a way for Mile End's shocking tonal transmute that is chilling but sometimes slightly unfitting. I did not presume that a film about marathon running would turn into a psychological thriller, but it does this effectively enough given the unusual running theme.Production values are crisp and polished in Mile End. Anna Valdez-Hanks shoots the backdrop of East London with care and precision, leaving it to be a reminder of many people's harsh world of unemployment. Ed Scolding sets the score and it undertones the film very well, with credits due to his first attempt at a feature film.It is a shame, then, that it does not feel like one entity since the indie film tries to establish its chain of events with scattershot pacing and a forgettable script (if you discount the few well-written analogies and expressions about ambition and adversities). A lack of good supporting performances and characters also level it down, but Mile End is an entertaining thriller that provides viewers with enough intelligence to figure out reveals and nuances that even David Fincher would be proud of. Run into this and you will not look back.

Made redundant Paul {Andrew Humes) life is a mess. While out running he meets John (Mark Arnold). They strike up an unlikely friendship and things seem to take a turn for the good. However, John's behavior becomes erratic even obsessive taking Paul on a more sinister downward journey with unexpected results. Higgins brings us a tension that simmers just beneath the surface holds our attention. A visually thought provoking film with sold performances from the cast makes this movie worth your time. Winner Best Feature NYC Independent Film festival 2016, Winner Best film Melbourne Indie Film Festival 2016, Best UK Feature Raindance Film Festival Nominee 2015. Look forward to more from this writer/director.

I loved this film - a gripping story, beautifully told. There are some stunning scenes of London and some incredibly poignant moments amid the thrill and horror. It's so lovely to see east London shot with such love and care.I love the way it leaves some shades of ambiguity and questions that stay with you long after you've watched it. The acting is great, particularly the sinister but somehow still sympathetic runner.Love it, can't wait to watch it again. Highly recommended!

An unsettling thriller with some genuinely scary moments that I didn't see coming and had me jumping out of my seat! The acting was excellent, the hero a totally believable ordinary bloke of the sort you might work with or live next to, placed in a sinister situation which again, you could imagine yourself being drawn into unwittingly. The film develops an atmosphere of creepiness, claustrophobia and menacing psychological dysfunction which is enhanced by contrasting expansive views of the London's riverside, where which much of the action is set. Mark Arnold as John is really scary and threatening- he'd make a very good Bond villain! There are some surprising twists and a really satisfying ending.