Somers Town (2009)
86%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 6 nominations
Somers Town is a delightful and charming film that captures the essence of youth and friendship in a way that is both heartwarming and humorous. Meadows’ use of improvised scenes and long takes adds a sense of authenticity to the film, making it feel like a slice of life rather than a scripted story. The performances by Turgoose and Jagiello are outstanding, with Turgoose perfectly embodying the mercurial nature of adolescence and Jagiello providing a steady and grounded presence. The film’s short running time is perfectly suited to its slender, episodic story, and the locations and cinematography are a feast for the eyes. Overall, Somers Town is a small-scale jewel that is sure to leave a smile on your face.
Somers Town is like a warm hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a while. It’s a small-scale film that packs a big punch with its charming characters and relatable plot. The improvised scenes give it a sense of authenticity that’s hard to come by in Hollywood blockbusters. It’s a feel-good movie that will leave you with a smile on your face and a desire to explore the streets of London. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy this gem of a film.
Production Company(ies)
Killer Films, New Line Cinema,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Champ de Mars, Paris 7, Paris, France
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2009
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English, Polish, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Dec 8, 2009
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
Somers Town, Comedy, Drama, 1h 15m, directed by Shane Meadows, written by Paul Fraser, starring Thomas Turgoose, Kate Dickie, Piotr Jagiello, Perry Benson, Ireneusz Czop, Elisa Lasowski, produced by Barnaby Spurrier, reviewed by Ty Burr, Joshua Rothkopf, John Hartl, Walter V Addiego, Gary Goldstein, Carrie Rickey, Kaleem Aftab, Kelly Vance, Brian Orndorf, Sarah Boslaugh, Tricia Olszewski, Gerald Peary, MPAA rating, box office gross of $54.0K, train station, friendship, London, alcoholic father, budding young photographer, barmaid, love triangle, blighted lives, feel-good comedy, Ken Loach, improvised scenes, emotional truth, blue-collar humanism, small pleasures, observational, verite touch, episodic story, black & white, slice of life, good natured, summer streaming, Tubi, AVOD, watch free
Worldwide gross: $1,189,186
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,643,587
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,466
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 179,235
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Kate Dickie – Jane
Piotr Jagiello – Marek
Perry Benson – Graham
Ireneusz Czop – Mariusz
Elisa Lasowski – Maria
Director(s)
Shane Meadows
Writer(s)
Paul Fraser
Producer(s)
Barnaby Spurrier
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (26) | Fresh (53) | Rotten (2)
November 24, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Turgoose continues to convince as a kid whose personality wavers daily if not hourly, while Jagiello playfully suggests that Marek is becoming the perfect straight man.
September 17, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
John Hartl
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
Somers Town is a small-scale jewel that will surprise you with its buoyant look at blighted lives.
August 28, 2009 | Rating: 4/4
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Somers Town is a funny and endearing character comedy whose extra-brief, 70-minute running time proves perfectly adequate for its slender, episodic story.
August 7, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Gary Goldstein
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
However thin, the story of these rootless youths, estranged from mothers and native cities, has a certain universality and appeal.
July 30, 2009 | Rating: 2.5/4
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
An amusing tale of new friendships and lust set in and around St Pancras International. This is Meadows’ most feel-good outing and a pleasant return to irreverent comedy.
November 4, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
Shares a gentle, observant tone with the early films of Ken Loach.
May 6, 2010
Kelly Vance
East Bay Express
A verite touch of observation, Somers Town is kind and airy, a perfect cinematic meal for someone in need of small pleasures, explored through Meadows’s undeniable taste in locations and near-masterful work with actors.
January 14, 2010 | Rating: B+
Brian Orndorf
DVDTalk.com
…Meadows’ method of working with improvised scenes shot in long takes gives it a sense of emotional truth which is lacking in many more ambitious films.
October 9, 2009 | Rating: 7/10
Sarah Boslaugh
Playback:stl
Nothing much happens, but its workaday plot lines are universally relatable — the key to keeping this slight film engaging.
September 25, 2009
Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper
Somers Town is gentle, funny, blue-collar humanism, much like the early films of Ken Loach.
September 3, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
Gerald Peary
Boston Phoenix…
Plot
Two teenage boys, Tomo and Marek, become friends in London and deepen their bond while living together with Marek’s alcoholic father. However, their friendship is tested when they both fall for the same girl and Marek’s father becomes aware of Tomo’s presence.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about Somers Town, but they do mention that Thomas Turgoose, who plays Tomo, previously starred in the critically acclaimed film This Is England.
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