Kaitlyn Clark IMDb suggested this movie to me somewhere along the line, and I added it to my watch list. I love watching movies about the foster care system simply because it is a life very different from my own, and as a writer the stories fascinate me. Intense emotion is essential for me in a book or movie, and for obvious reasons the abuse of children is sure to create that tone.As my title suggests, The Unloved is okay, but not great. The acting is very well done, everyone is believable and fits very well into their roles. I was pleasantly surprised to find Lauren Socha, as I love the show Misfits. Her character added a small subplot, which helped with the pace of the film. The pace is where the film lost me. It started out pretty good, and had a few pops of intensity later on, but for the most part there was a lot of watching people stare off somewhere.If, unlike me, you don't get bored by a lack of dialogue, then I would recommend it. If you're looking for something with really high emotion and a thick plot, I'd suggest skipping over this film.I didn't regret it, but I won't be watching it again. 6/10

Josh Anderson Samantha Morton's passion for this story is evident in the purposeful construction of the film. At first you will wonder what in the world is happening, but as the film develops you will start to understand that the lingering cuts are drawing you into Lucy's world. Molly Windsor does an incredible job of portraying the innocent little observer who is thrust into a wildly different world when she is forced to move into a group home. Still sleeping with her teddy bear she has to room with Lauren, a rebellious teen who takes Lucy along with her shoplifting, partying, etc. The film is a bit sad and doesn't really offer any solution and so you are left feeling sorry for Lucy and hoping she will not succumb to the temptations around her and last probably until she ages out of the system. Hopefully what this film can do is bring awareness to problems in the social service system not only in the UK, but everywhere and perhaps kind hearted people will be stirred to help these children.

freemantle_uk Samantha Morton has a proved record as a actress starring in blockbusters like Minority Report, independent films like Control and even earned an Oscar nod for In America. But has a tragic past, being put into the British care system at a young age and going into children's homes and foster care. She has used her experience as the source for her writing and directional debut.Just before Christmas Lucy (Molly Windsor) is a 11-year-old primary school who is badly beaten by her father (scumbag for hire Robert Carlyle) and when it is found out by the school Social Services get involve. Lucy is taken to a children's home, with literally only the clothes on her back. Whilst in the home Lucy is overwhelmed, not understanding the adults who speak like she is not in the room, a world where children are violence and abusive too each other and drinking and drug taking are acceptable and Lucy does not understand why she can't live with her mother (Susan Lynch). In the home Lucy is taken under the wing of 16-year-old Lauren (Lauren Socha), a mouthy chav who has been in trouble with the police. Lost in this world Lucy has to adjust quickly.Morton shows great skill as a director and her strength is simplicity. She lets the actors do their job and by avoiding doing too many cuts or over the shoulder shots. The beginning is very hallowing, starting a voice-over by Lucy saying a biblical quote and then a single shot scene seeing the Lucy's father slowly loosing his temper. That had more power because it felt like you were in the room. Morton continues a harsh traditional of British kitchen sink realism.The script itself shows that the social care is something that even the most smartest child would not understand. A young child will have a more simple view of the world and just wants to be in a loving situation. Within the care system it shows that some people really do care, particularly a woman called Vicky (Andrea Lowe), who takes Lucy shopping, but even she is guilty of speaking like Lucy is not around. Other care workers were more bureaucratic or some like Ben (Craig Parkingson) who takes the approach of being the children's friend. The best approach would be someone who is both an authority figure who is also caring. The children's home is shown to be mismanaged, with the staff arguing amongst themselves and a social worker saying she was not able see Lucy because she did not receive her patrol money (because the welfare of the children isn't important).The acting was a high standard, particularly from Windsor, an incredible young actress. She had an tough job and she does it well, playing a meek child who is confused and easily lead. She is a good child and performance felt so natural and real. Some people may complain she is a passive character: but what do you expect, she is an ordinary child forced into a situation. She just has to go with the flow. Robert Carlyle is always good in any role he plays, and he is truly a horrible man in what is a very raw performance. But he also playing a real character, not just a cartoon monster.This was a real film, the language, character and settings were believable. This a tough film and not one for the faint hearted. But I do have a couple of minor problems with the film. The first is that I felt like we need to see a result involving Ben who raped Lauren and was in the middle of an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old. The other is I would have liked to have know what happened to Lucy, did she end up staying in the children's home, go into foster care or get to live with her mum or another family member.But overall The Unloved is a very worthy film.

Burton_Herschel_1 With this film, Samantha Morton has done better than most actors-turned-directors, as she displays an understanding not just of the ways in which films make meaning and are experienced by their audience, but also of human behaviour and the way life itself unfolds. While similar subject matter has certainly been covered before in British films, from Ken Loach to Lynne Ramsay (from whom Morton seems to have learned cinematic pacing and how to "show and not tell"), this film is still able to give a fresh experience, just like how many people share very similar lives on the surface, yet each one is unique.Without giving anything away plot-wise, the scenes which stand out for excellent direction, acting and pacing are the opening one between the main character and her father, another later on between these same characters in a pub, an outdoor rave, and a fight that breaks out between a group of adults who are supposed to be the responsible ones (though the beauty of the way this scene is handled lies in the fact that we can't be sure some of them *aren't* being responsible by doing what they're doing!).The last shot could have been one of the stronger endings I've seen in recent cinema, but the music that plays over it detracts from the power it could have had - instead of allowing viewers to have their own individual reactions to this image (and there's enough power and emotion inherent in the situation that it would be nearly impossible not to experience something during this shot), the music tells us what the emotions are, through both instrumentation and lyrics. This serves to detach the audience somewhat from what we're seeing, instead of sucking us in like most of the film has already succeeded so well in doing.I can only hope Morton directs another film in the (near) future.