Silver Haze

Franky (Vicky Knight) is a nurse who's badly scarred by a fire that happened when she was a child (Knight herself was burned as a child - the scars are real). She believes the fire was started deliberately by her mother's friend, who's now in a relationship with her (Franky's) father from whom she's estranged. Fifteen years on, Franky still dreams of revenge.

In hospital, Franky meets Florence (Esme Creed-Miles), the survivor of a suicide attempt. The two develop a friendship, and later become lovers, though they later break up. Prompted by Florence, Franky's quest for revenge develops into something more tangible.

The rest of the cast have their own stories to tell: Franky's mother, who spends her entire life on the sofa; Franky's sister, who's dabbling with Islam (she has a shawl and a prayer mat, but hasn't cottoned on to the fact that she's no longer allowed alcohol); Florence's grandmother (the excellent Angela Bruce) who has terminal cancer: Florence's brother, who has learning difficulties...

It can't be said that any character in the film is less than three-dimensional, but for me this added up to too many sub-plots and an over-crowded film.

As a depiction of British working-class life it's sharp and observant (without stooping to poverty porn) and the acting is solid throughout - as is the direction.

The ending is not the on the viewer expects, and might leave some disappointed by its slightly ambiguous nature, but I thought it worked well.

Hospital nurse Franky (Vicky Knight) is covered with burn scars from a fire 15 years ago when she was a child. She meets troubled patient Florence (Esme Creed-Miles) who tried to commit suicide. She suspects her mother's friend having set the fire and it continues to haunt her.

This is an intriguing character. I wasn't sure if the scars are real. I figured that a low budget indie would have difficulty doing big-time prosthetics. She's a very compelling actress with a completely unique look. The lower budget does have one drawback. This is setting up for a flashback reveal of the fire during most of the movie. Of course, there is no way for them to film a full-blown bar fire on a limited budget. The movie misses not having that scene.

You won't find a dramatic film of more emotional intelligence or intuitive compassion so far this year than Sacha Polak's Silver Haze, a striking coming of age drama that highlights many of the blunt, difficult truths life hurls our way in straightforward fashion not often seen in storytelling. Vicky Knight is a wonder as Franky, a young nurse from working class London who was burned horribly in a building fire as a child, an event she still feels was done on purpose and seeks the perpetrators of, who may be painfully close to home. She strikes up romance with another young girl (Esme Creed-Miles) on suicide watch in the hospital she works in, a turbulent coupling of two souls who have both been through unimaginable trauma and begin to find a modicum of solace in each other, before life has new curveballs to throw both of them. This is a heartbreaking film that doesn't rely on sentimentality to get its point across and make you feel something, it's all about the actors here and they are stunning. Knight was in a fire for real, her scars are genuine and she uses her experience to haunting effect here, giving a multifaceted, mesmerizing turn. Miles has the more difficult role and her character is often easy to judge or dislike, but we the audience know almost nothing of her past beyond the fact the she is a runaway who ended up in the suicide ward, she gives subtle hints in her challenging, thought provoking and searingly human performance. This is a film of unbelievable depth, uncommon emotional complexity and hypnotic, gorgeous London atmosphere, its only Polak's third feature as a filmmaker and she has already achieved what some artists strive for their whole career. A brilliant film, one of the best so far this year.

"Silver Haze" is a beautiful example of how the cinema still didn't run out of new creative ideas for coming-of-age films. Sacha Polak, the director, succeeds with her 4th feature film and her 2nd colaboration with Vicky Knight in creating an unmistakably small-town English aesthetic with depiction of struggling lower-class society. Vicky Knight shines brithly in the leading role with her rusty voice and cockney accent as she works her way through every part of Franky's story. From childhood trauma (both physical and mental), dealing with loss, discovering your true self and your sexuality (LGBTQ+), losing a family while gaining a new one "Silver Haze" presents a clear vision in all its aspects and leads the audience to a perfect closure at the end. I also have to mention simple yet intimate cinematography and a very fitting soundtrack, that pairs perfectly with what is happening in the film.

This is Director Sacha Polak and lead actress Vicky Knight second film after 2019's Dirty God, about a young mother who disfigured after an acid attack. Both starring Vicky Knight, herself suffering bad burns when she was a child. Silver Haze seems to be the most based on her life, it also has her own real life family playing her on screen family (her real life young sister, Charlotte is especially good as her younger sister in this).

This is Vicky's film all the way, and she brings it as Franky. Esmé Creed-Miles (Samantha Morton is her mum) is really solid as Franky's troubled girlfriend. She's not always most likeable of characters and this film has quite a few. It's not a easy watch, the really closed in cinematography also adds to tension.

I hope Vicky Knight sticks to acting and maybe goes off and does something out her comfort zone. She's got a nice presence on screen. Creed-Miles although nowhere near the actress her mother was at her age (Morton was one of best acting talents of her generation) just give Florence a likeability.

I sadly doubt the film will get much traction and that be a shame. I do think it's better then it's IMDB rating right now (6.2 of right now).