Quickflicks: Liam

Liam, though a bit reminiscent of Angela's Ashes because of its poverty-stricken, strict Catholic life motifs, does manage to stand on its own, with, obviously, a slightly different story. The film surrounds a middle-class Liverpool family whose existence spirals down into poverty after the father (Ian Hart) gets laid off, an event that wrecks family morale and structure. In the middle of it all is little stuttering Liam Sullivan, played almost too realistically by Anthony Burrows. Through a detached point of view--which is established through the first dialogueless 10 to 15 minutes of the film--the audience sits and feels helpless yet apathetic just watching every aspect of the Sullivans' life deteriorating, and also witnessing how it's possible to look not to religion, but to fascism as a sanctuary. All that is left in the end is poor Liam to, also, just sit helpless, silently combing his sister's hair in his confusion about the whole situation.