I guess that once you know Robbie is 14, and has just become a father - and you've remembered this is a British movie - then you know not to expect a fluffy ending.
The film is dour and depressing. The story, the dialog, the characters, even the weather, are all dour and depressing.
Ian Hart as Robbie's scouse father offers temporary respite, in that he's sharp and witty ...
Robbie: Where's Ireland?
Robbie's Dad (pointing out to sea): It's out there. On a clear day you can see Val Doonican.
... but eventually shows his real character. He's a loser, which is why he'd walked out on Robbie and his mother 12 years earlier. Very little time is spent on the other characters: the baby's mother, and step-father, and Robbie's own mother, which leaves the film somewhat flat.
Most reviews focus on the "unforgettable intimacy", and "heart-rending honesty", but watching this on my own at a stinky 'Art House' movie theater was a recipe for gloom. And so it turned out to be.
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