BIRCHES (DVD)
Authentic Media. £12.99
Thought-provoking. Honest. Raw. Just some of the descriptions I could use for this film. It never pretends to be something it isn’t. It is simply a sincere story that draws you in.
I will be honest that on first viewing I found the first 20 minutes or so quite slow going, and for viewers of a certain age there will be the need to get past Todd Carty not being Tucker Jenkins or Mark Fowler, and Anna Acton not being Topsy and Tim’s Mum. But those points aside, there is something compelling about this film.
Based on the book Silver Birches by Adrian Plass (previously entitled Ghosts), this is an exploration of loss, faith, uncertainty, and identity. Drew Waters’ performance, although at times a little wooden, captures well the pain and emptiness of losing someone important, with the support performances highlighting other fears and challenges in a beautifully honest way. The relationship between Peter and Michael provides some much-needed light relief – giving the film a good emotional balance. I loved how honest and real the characters felt – to the point that on second viewing I felt I was meeting back up with old friends.
The DVD is a two-disc set, the second containing videos for discussion groups. These are designed to be used with a booklet (to be purchased separately). Each clip has a small introduction by Adrian Plass. The second disc in a way sums up why you’d watch this film. It’s a film with a purpose – not something you’d just pop on for a Saturday night chill.
If I were to rate this as a film just for watching, I’d probably give it 3 stars out of 5, but as a platform for discussions around loss and faith I’d give it 4.5 stars.
