Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross: The Selfish Giant is not fresh, but it’s superbly performed

Clio Barnard's follow-up to The Arbor is beautifully, poetically , lyrically shot

Bfi Film Fund/Film4/Moonspun Films / The Kobal Collection 
issue 26 October 2013

The Selfish Giant is a British social-realism film in the tradition of all such films from Kes onwards, so it never feels particularly fresh, but it does feel real and true, is superbly performed, and it does pack quite an emotional punch. I had to gather myself afterwards, and I’m still gathering myself, and may be gathering myself for some time to come.

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