This is a beautiful movie, perhaps not in a purely aesthetic sense, it has the hand-held camera and no shiny, polished or pretty cinematography, but if it did, this film would lose so much of what makes it raw, real and ultimately beautiful. Most films are pure escapism, meant for enjoyment, or thoughtful pondering, this film feels like a very personal one. It's not a fast-paced, exciting blockbuster but what it is is a patient, careful, beautifully crafted tale of abuse, and love of nature and spirit. It is a harsh look at how an adult can damage and hurt a child, and the performances from both leads are to be commended; a wonderful, almost fairy tale like story that perfectly captures the innocence of youth, a joyous love of nature and wonder that can be found in it and in other people. I loved this film. It broke my heart and had be sobbing but I loved in nonetheless, maybe I loved it because it made me really feel. Beautiful.

MY BROTHER TOM Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby DigitalFollowing an episode of sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted neighbor, young Jessica (Jenna Harrison) forms a relationship with a strange boy (Ben Whishaw) she meets in the woods. Unfortunately, Whishaw has secrets of his own, no less troubling and far more dangerous...Dour drama, sparked by brave performances by Harrison and Whishaw, in which two kindred spirits immerse themselves in a mutual love of nature after being traumatized by their experiences in the 'real world'. Unfortunately, their friendship unravels as harsh reality begins to intrude, leading to an inevitable tragedy. Directed by Dom Rotheroe and photographed in digital video format, the movie looks ragged in places (too many awkward close-ups and sloppy hand-held camera moves) and takes a while to find its feet, but the dramatic pay-off is quietly rewarding.

An incredibly compelling film which had me glued from start to finish. As someone personally affected by the abuse issues raised I felt so much empathy for the characters who were portrayed fantastically by the young actors. Uncomfortable viewing at times, particularly for those with such experiences in there past, but essential non the less. The harsh reality of adults, especially those in powerful positions, reluctance to see what is going on around them is shown brilliantly. Yes it shows a dank view of the world, but talk to 10 young people in your life and its almost guaranteed that at least 5 of them would have experienced similar acts, with no one to turn to.A film were you need to look beyond such aesthetics as SFX or high budget locations and accept that this stuff really does happen everyday!!!!!!

Cheap and manipulative. This film has no heart.It's also got dire dialogue, unconvincing characters and a preposterous, or rather non-existent, story. It just lurches from bad to worse in a cynical effort to wrench some kind of emotion from an insincere and unengaging hysterion-afest!And the HEDGEHOG!!!!How many cheap shots can a film take? The hedgehog, by the way, gave the most convincing and watchable performance in this ninety-minute cringe-athon.If you have considered watching this film, don't. I'm sorry but I cannot find a single redeeming feature to this movie. It scores a big, fat ZERO with me. Strictly for sub-Dogma knicker-wetters. Yawneroony!Still, if you liked Dancing In The Dark...