Director: Guy Myhill.
Cast: Liam Walpole, Sienna Guillory, Sean Harris, Paul Popplewell, Hannah Spearritt, Marama Corlett, Oliver Kennedy.
Certificate: 18
Running Time: 84 minutes
Synopsis: A young man known as Goob (Walpole) has to work for his stepdad (Harris) after trashing his prized banger racing car.
The Goob seems to come from that very personal plain inside a filmmaker. It’s hard to describe, and attempts to do so almost rob it of its raw power. Set out in the sticks, newcomer Walpole plays Goob, a young lad who does what he can in his nowhere existence. He constantly messes about with his brother, which leads to the pair stealing the keys to their stepdad Womack’s prized vehicle. After they end up in a crash, Goob must work for Womack while his brother recuperates.
The misfit family runs a rather empty diner, while also farming pumpkins. It’s a quiet existence brought to life by Saturdays at the banger racing, where Womak is hailed as a champion, and young ladies take Goob’s fancy. The world of The Goob is a complex and open prison. He’s trapped in a seedy world of familiar faces and seemingly unchangeable cruelties. There’s nothing particularly wrong with his life, but nothing’s great either. Harris’ usual overwhelmingly intense antagonist isn’t exactly evil, but he is certainly creepy in ways that only Harris can bring to life with humanity.
Goob is constantly looking for ways to escape, or at least enjoy the life he has. This comes in the form of newly arrived helping hand Elliot (Kennedy) whose flamboyant personality conflicts with Womack’s way of life and need for control, and also the arrival of Eva (Corlett), a young immigrant who has come to earn money helping to harvest the pumpkins. The film succeeds in building a fascinating world where the only thing keeping Goob imprisoned is his mental state and sense of loyalty to others around him. Seeing him gradually become inspired and craving more from life is a great joy to the audience.
Where the film falls short is that it’s literally too short. At a brisk 84 minutes, it seems as though there is so much that could have been offered. That’s also a compliment, as it is rare that a film leaves you wanting more in this day of bloated running times. The ending is also a tad sudden and leaves some questions in a similar vein to Catch Me Daddy. Despite the running time, we get a lot of great character moments that truly allow the cast to stand out. Harris is his usual brilliant self, while Walpole deserves a lot more work after portraying a quietly mischievous hero. We also get a quiet yet fulfilling turn from former S Club 7 member Hannah Spearritt.
It’s certainly dark, but also knows how to have fun. This is an important factor of The Goob as it shows how we can become very accepting of how things are. The brief moments almost make the bad ones bearable, while we also see that boredom can in itself be a kind of slavery.An exciting debut with a lot to offer. The Goob is a punchy and understated coming of age tale that finds heart in the strangest of places. Confrontational without a shred of self pity, the film supplies its characters with a sense of strength and vulnerability across the board. It’s very slightly obscure at times, but always manages to find that much needed human connection. Dark, but hopeful, The Goob is a very welcome treasure.
The Goob is released in cinemas from 29th May.
