‎Away (2016) directed by David Blair • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Away

2016 Directed by David Blair

Two fractured souls. A million blinding lights.

A story set in the north English seaside town of Blackpool and centered on two kindred spirits who form an unlikely friendship.

Timothy Spall Juno Temple Hayley Squires Matt Ryan Susan Lynch Joanna Roth Terry Stone Tony Pitts Reece Noi Melanie Clare Liz Hulme Davison Adam Riley Ellie Wilkes

Country

Language

English

drama

110 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Mark Cunliffe ★★★★ 3

Can Hayley Squires stop going through hell in films please? She had to endure it in I, Daniel Blake and she endures it again here in Away. So, in her next role, can she have some happiness for a change?

I was sold on this by the cast and the setting of Blackpool, the northern seaside resort that's approximately an hour away from me and the place I stayed for many a holiday as a child. I wasn't totally sure what to expect from Away beyond a spring and autumn odd couple style story. That's certainly what's being sold in the poster, which sees a tux-wearing Timothy Spall next to a sullen looking Juno Temple appearing somewhat out of her…
Review by Rishaad Ait El Moudden ★★★

Can't really fault the performances which are compelling, lived in, emotional and truthful depictions of these people. But the writing often borders on melodramatic and chooses cliché devices to forward the narrative. Although the shuffled nature of it is used to good effect at times by cleverly revealing details to illuminate the storytelling experience, it is more often than not a hindrance to the pacing and pathos.

Recent reviews

Review by Yuri ★★★★

Она бежала от домашнего насилия, он бежал от себя. Им было суждено встретиться в британском городе Блэкпул, "Северном Вегасе", как не без иронии называл его старик (и в этом смысле русские переводчики неожиданно очень хорошо срифмовали этот фильм с Покидая Лас-Вегас с Кейджем).

Это история о том, как у кого-то вся жизнь впереди, а кто-то, наоборот, хочет оставить ее позади, кто-то полон сил, а кто-то их больше не имеет. И нельзя останавливать кого-либо из них.
В общем, как говорилось в другом очень темном по освещению фильме "Старик умирает… Девочка остается жить. Честный обмен."
Review by charmolypi ★★★

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Liked the acting, however overall the movie was very unrealistic to my liking. I found myself constantly asking "why". Why did Ria persistently stick around even though Joseph was rude to her time after time? Why and how did Joseph have a sudden change of heart? And a few other questions I can't even recall now. The movie offers answers to these questions, but I didn't find them satisfying or logical, only unrealistic. Also the flashbacks require some time getting used to and some of the scenes feel like they're only there to make the movie appear more deep. Overall, I'd say it is a movie you can watch and not feel like you wasted your evening but don't have high expectations.
Review by Thomas Williams ★★½

Away is a small film of which absolutely nothing was expected ... and so I was rather surprised by film's when I found myself actually caring a bit about some of these characters.

Timothy Spall (Secrets & Lies) and Juno Temple (Atonement) play a mis-matched pair who stumble upon each other in an hour of need in the seaside town of Blackpool while "on the run" from something from their past. What they have been running from finds them and while neither of them may be able to escape/overcome on their own, they stand a decent chance of doing so together.

Spall and Temple are both rather low-key here and they play off of each other surprisingly well.
Review by mick culleton ★★★

A suicidal widower and a abused young women strike up a unlikely friendship while in Blackpool escaping there demons, Decent Brit thriller
Review by Rebus ★★★½

A fine British Drama. Great actors.
Review by Stephen Marsh ★★★

The plot feels familiar, but the central relationship is really well done. Spall is his usual great self. Juno Temple is the bigger surprise. She shows real depth here & matches Spall in every scene.
Review by Cameron Wayne Johnson ★★½

Is a title that faint as close as they could legally get to "Leaving Blackpool"? Anyways, Timothy Spall is cool and everything, but, yeah, "Away" is kind of the first thing I think of when I see him hanging out with Juno Temple. I guess she's just giving an old widower some companionship as he prepares to kill himself, as she is already a compassionate enough person to take care of a fellow orphan. Jeez, never mind getting out of a rundown town and escaping a drug dealer boyfriend; maybe the solution to the female lead's grief is simply to stop forming friendships out of mutual misery. Not even Blackpool can be perfect for cheering somebody up if it's supposed…
Review by Nevetsg ★★★½

low budge but powerful.
Now to figure out where I have seen both those guys before
Review by Mark Cunliffe ★★★★ 3

Can Hayley Squires stop going through hell in films please? She had to endure it in I, Daniel Blake and she endures it again here in Away. So, in her next role, can she have some happiness for a change?

I was sold on this by the cast and the setting of Blackpool, the northern seaside resort that's approximately an hour away from me and the place I stayed for many a holiday as a child. I wasn't totally sure what to expect from Away beyond a spring and autumn odd couple style story. That's certainly what's being sold in the poster, which sees a tux-wearing Timothy Spall next to a sullen looking Juno Temple appearing somewhat out of her…