Treacle Jr.

Made on a shoestring budget acquired when director Jamie Thraves remortgaged his house, Treacle Jr. was put together with a lot of heart, and it shows. A moving, funny and endearing odd couple story set in South London (“the dodgy end”, according to ‘Geography by Richard Curtis’), it charts the unlikely friendship of Tom (Fisher), a depressive soft-spoken giant who left his family in middle-class suburbia to wander the streets; and Aidan (Gillen), a carefree, chattering Irish odd-jobs-man who’s a few cents short of the euro.

Fast becoming an expert in portraying the entire spectrum of eccentricity, Gillen’s turn in this performance-driven film is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Underneath Aidan’s incessant bellowing and his played-for-laughs lisp – the only cheap moment of the film comes when Tom mistakes Aidan’s desire for a hot beach for a “hot bitch” – he radiates a warmth and kindness that far surpasses his irritating qualities. The fact that he seems somewhat mentally deficient becomes less of an issue as the film progresses, as he appears to be the only one who realises that kindness comes from actions, not words –an ironic but meaningful attitude for someone whose only available currency is his ability to talk.

This theme of kindness reverberates through what amounts to an indie Midnight Cowboy, and the difficulties that are faced by the homeless – whether their situation is voluntary or not – are brilliantly captured. As the palpably melancholy Tom receives suspicious glances from mothers when he sadly watches children in a playground, only to be ignored as he politely asks passers-by for money, he proves that you’re only as visible as other people want you to be.

There’s nothing subtle about the way in which the characters are foiled, and the plot veers into ambiguous territory as Aidan’s abusive girlfriend Linda (Riann Steele) becomes a scapegoat for the men’ s questionable decisions. But by combining gritty insights into London life with truly uplifting moments of innocence and joy, Treacle Jr. suggests that the imperfect beauty of life is having a bit of sour with your sweet.