Product Description

Set in the East-End of London, PURE is a story about the bond between a family and the pull of drugs. Following the death of his father, ten-year old Paul (Harry Eden) becomes the caretaker of his family mother Mel (Molly Parker) and youngest brother Lee (Vinni Hunter). His only friend is a flighty waitress Louise (Keira Knightley) who helps Paul in his desperate attempt to protect his family from the mother s drug addiction and her boyfriend, the local dealer (David Wenham).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29009 in DVD
• Brand: INDICAN PICTURES
• Released on: 2008-11-11
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, HiFi Sound, Surround Sound, THX, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .15 pounds
• Running time: 96 minutes

Review
(***) a beautifully acted coming-of-age film with an astonishing lead performance by then 13-year old Harry Eden. Parker is brilliant as well. --Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Review
Two Thumbs Up. Emotionally wrenching and extraordinary performances. --Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper

Review
A powerful love story that has the look and feel of an art house hit. The performances are superb, especially the key one between Parker and Eden. An emotional roller coaster with a smart performance by Keira Knightley. --Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

Customer Reviews

A Child's Unwavering Protectiveness of His Troubled but Loving Mother.
"Pure" could be viewed simply as a drug addiction movie, but I was relieved to find that it isn't simply that, as I've seen too many overwrought addiction movies at this point. "Pure" is the story of a 10-year-old boy trying to save his mother -save her from heroin, from her dealer, and from the law. Mel (Molly Parker) has been overwhelmed by life's demands since the death of her husband left her with 2 young boys to raise. She turned to heroin for consolation, but it got the best of her. She can no longer hold down a job or meet her children's needs. Young Paul (Harry Eden) knows only that his mother is sick, and he will do anything to help her -the household chores, look after his little brother, even prepare the "medicine" that makes Mel feel better. But Paul slowly realizes that something is not quite right with his mother. He doggedly tries to understand and resolves to help his mother kick her habit. But Paul finds himself navigating a complicated world of conflicting interests and values: his possessive grandmother (Geraldine McEwan), his mother's manipulative dealer (David Wenham), a police detective (Gary Lewis), Social Services, and his new friend Louise (Keira Knightley), a young woman with a heroin problem of her own.

I love the genuineness of Paul and Mel's relationship. Paul acts exactly as a bright, independent child would. He's fiercely protective of his mother. And he does what's best as he sees it, with limited perspective and little power, to help his mother and preserve his family. He pursues his goal with the single-mindedness and acceptance of a child and the determination of an adult. Paul and Mel express a closeness that is characteristic of a parent and child who work together to survive under difficult circumstances. They're flawed, and they know it. "Pure" has a great supporting cast, but there are many moments when Paul carries this film on his shoulders, which is a credit to writer Alison Hume, director Gillies MacKinnon, and Harry Eden, who was actually 12 years old when "Pure" was made. Keira Knightley was 16 or 17 when she played Louise, a likable young waitress who refuses to get her life under control no matter what the consequences, and Knightly fans will find this a promising example of her early work. "Pure"'s pacing could have been better. It's plodding at times. But the film's young perspective and honest emotion won me over.

The DVD (Indican 2006): Bonus features include a theatrical trailer, a Photo Gallery of 11 publicity stills and behind-the-scenes photos, a Poster Progression slideshow of 8 movie posters, a slideshow of 8 cast and crew bios (text), and an interview with director Gillies MacKinnon (34 min). The interview with MacKinnon is interesting, but it seems interminable. Too much of a good thing. He discusses the idea that "Pure" is not about heroin but about a "little boy's heroic attempt to save his mother'", in contrast to his 1990 film "Needle", working with a child actor, the reason the film unfortunately got an 18 rating in the UK, creating the mother/son relationship, colors, camera work, score, and more.

Pure
I probably shouldn't review it so soon after watching it, because my "intellectual side" probably isn't online right now. This is a powerful drama, flawless in conception and execution, about a ten-year-old boy with a dead father, a mother addicted to heroin, and various and sundry other problems to deal with. I've watched two British films about heroin addiction this year and been moved to tears by both, but I've never met a heroin user in my life. We don't have heroin in Watha. We probably don't have British DVDs in the stores either. We don't even have stores. But I digress. If you see this one, grab it. I know I'll watch it again. I just don't know how many times. Oh, and if you're an author, consider this. "There are no minor characters." If you'd like to see this premise in action, get this film. After all the crap I've reviewed this week, you don't know how happy it makes me to cite an instance where a novelist can learn from a filmmaker.

East London -- not Northern England
I just want to add to the very fine precis already posted a brief correction about location (Netflix has it wrong, too--they claim it's set in west London.) To those, such as myself, who are fanatical about English football the location is obvious from the very first seconds of the film, when "I'm forever blowing bubbles" is sung in the background and the camera pans down to an aerial view of the Boleyn Ground (Upton Park.) And throughout the film the central character and his younger brother sport the famous claret and blue of West Ham United--one of the best loved (though under-achieving) clubs in England, the pride of the Cockney homeland of London's East End.

I'm adding an extra star just for all the West Ham references!