The Goob **** (2014, Liam Walpole, Sienna Guillory, Sean Harris, Marama Corlett, Oliver Kennedy) – Movie Review

Writer-director Guy Myhill’s feature debut stars Liam Walpole as 16 year-old Goob Taylor, who returns home to his mother (Sienna Guillory) for the summer in rural Norfolk where he grew up. The weather is hot and the people are rough. There’s nothing much around except a small restaurant, a stock-car circuit and a field of pumpkins.

The Goob and his mother’s new lover, the brutal, womanising stock car racer Gene Womack (Sean Harris) don’t see eye to eye. So the Goob fights with him for his mother’s attentions, while bonding with his gay cousin Elliot (Oliver Kennedy) who disco dances and gets in a red dress, as well as falling for the exotic charms of Eva (Marama Corlett), a pretty seasonal foreign field worker.

The mother is a weak and pathetic creature, spreading her stuff around. And what should be the boy’s father figure is just as weak and pathetic in his violent, sordid way. There’s only one thing for the boy to do, grow up fast and get the heck out of Norfolk.

Myhill’s coming of age film is edgy and impressive, with an eye-catching turn by Walpole matching Simon Tindall’s eye-catching photography of this depressing, down-at-heel part of Norfolk. It’s just 80 minutes, but it’s got all the story you need packed in there.

The material in many ways is pretty familiar, but Myhill brings it up entirely fresh, as though this is the first time this kind of story has ever been told, making it feel unique.

The censor has slapped a completely uncalled-for 18 certificate on this movie that should be available to kids the same age as the Goob. Given the strong material, it’s surprising that it has been backed by BBC Films, BFI and Creative England. It kind of has a Channel Four vibe to it.

It’s a small film in every way, especially in a good way, but it has 10 credited producers! That’s more than the main cast of characters. Also in the cast are Hannah Spearritt, Paul Popplewell, Rosa French and Joe Copsey. Filming took place at Swaffham and Outwell, Norfolk.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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