Review of 16 Years Of Alcohol

Introduction

Sixteen Years of Alcohol was written and directed by Richard Jobson, who has moved from punk rocker (The Skids), to film critic, to one time husband of Mariella Frostrup, to music journalist and now film writer, director and producer.

Frankie didn`t really have the best role models as a child. His father was a boozer and an adulterer. After drinking his father`s whisky in a pub, it seems he`ll never be away from the drink. We next meet him with his skinhead gang, always on the lookout for some trouble. Maybe a girl could change his life. Maybe a leopard can never change his spots?

Video

Sixteen Years of Alcohol was shot on High Definition Digital Video, so you would expect a stunning 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. But the problem is that you don`t get always get it. It looks quite good on the whole, but just lacks the cutting edge you would expect from a transfer from High Definition masters.

The streets of Edinburgh get another run out on film, but once again the Royal Mile seems to be paved with alcohol fuelled violent thugs. It`s a much nicer place in real life, honest.

Audio

A choice of soundtracks, increasing in quality from DD2.0, through DD5.1 and on to dts. They are all reasonable efforts, but the multi channel mixes are slightly better, even though they aren`t that stunning. Everything is clear and crisp, but the soundtracks only get to shine in a few scenes, and when some music turns up.

Features

A small package of extras begins with the director`s commentary. As you would expect of Jobson, he has so much to say about all of the film making process, from casting, his influences and techniques used. An interesting commentary and it might help to explain a few things about the film.

Your next choice is to watch the whole film in storyboards, which you can do at any time using the Angle button. An innovative use of this feature, but I don`t know why you`d want to sit through the whole film in this way.

Finally we have the behind the scenes feature, with interviews with the main progatonists and plenty more from Jobson himself.

Conclusion

Aaarrgghh! Tedious and dull, peppered with a recurring narrator who keeps coming back to the same themes of love and hope. An over-stylised empty shell of a film. Everything looks nice, but there`s nothing under the attractive sheen. Frankie veers wildly through the periods of his life, and the film rushes around without stopping.

Again, the leads try their best, Kevin McKidd does what he can with Frankie, and Laura Fraser and Susan Lynch bring different love interests to the screen, but you just don`t want to watch them going through the motions any more.

The DVD is another average effort from Tartan, with good picture that could be better, and reasonable sound. The commentary does shed new light on some of the issues with the film, but there`s not much more substance to the extras. Not even worth a rental really.