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Mike
(James Aubrey) is a successful pop song and ad jingle writer
living in London. A normal, single bloke in his 20s, he spots
pretty Ginny (Alison Elliot) hitchhiking into the city and picks
her up. Charmed by the girl he invites her out to dinner and
they hit it off almost immediately, becoming lovers. Mike thinks
the relationship is going well but is a little worried that
his new lady might be married — she refuses to meet him at her
home and won't stay overnight. This turns out to be the least
likely complication for him... Instead he discovers Ginny is
actually 14 years old!
Shocked,
he tells her they have to end things but after she pleads her
love he relents with a pledge to stop the sexual part of the
relationship. But a week later the girl's parents (Mark Burns,
Juliet Harmer) catch wind of what's happening and call the police.
Soon the poor fellow is being accused of rape as well as sex
with a minor. Ginny, fearful of what might happen to her if
she's completely honest about the relationship, keeps quiet.
A
definite change of pace for Pete Walker, Home
Before Midnight, his penultimate film, is a straightforward
if controversial drama. Much in keeping with the director's
uncomplicated style, the film builds well with good dialog and
believable characters with whom it's easy to sympathize. The
film's only real miscalculation as an entertainment is the length.
Better to have been about 15 minutes shorter; it especially
loses something past the point that the legal proceedings begin.
I was impressed that the story presented no easy answers and
a downbeat, realistic ending that simply would not get made
today.
I wasn't surprised
to find out that the movie had been controversial as it features
some gloriously unnecessary (but very welcome) nude scenes featuring
both Ms. Elliot and her equally amorous blonde schoolmate Carol
(Debbie Linden). Indeed, the film might be faulted for siding
with Mike as his life turns to crap waiting for the trial. He's
fired from his songwriting job, his friends abandon him and
even his family want nothing to do with him. At the same time
we see Ginny moving on with her life with hardly a pause while
Mike faces a possible prison sentence. Hardly the film to be
held up by those preaching about Statutory Rape laws, huh?
It makes me wonder
if this subject matter was the reason it took several years
for Walker to make another movie.
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