"Foggy London Nights"

Author(s): Josh P.
Location: Chicago, IL

"Foggy London Nights"

Directed by Danny Boyle
Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Produced by Andrew Macdonald
Cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle
Original Music by Paul Williams
“London Roads” Music by Paul Williams, Lyrics by Paul Williams and Bernie Taupin
Edited by Chris Gill

Main Cast

Andrew Simpson (Peter Braind)
Penelope Wilton (Margaret Braind)
Daniel Radcliffe (Johnny Ringers)
Paul Williams (Dr. Capricorn)
Jeremy Irons (Detective Carson)
Cillian Murphy (Robert Carrigan)
Gary Oldman (Peter’s Dad)

Tagline: "Home is wherever you make it, and London is just the place to start it all"

Synopsis: Peter Braind (Simpson) has never been satisfied with his life, particularly his over-bearing, overprotective mother (Wilton) constantly looking over his shoulder and shielding him from the world ever since his father (Oldman) died when Peter was seven years old. Her mothering annoyance has only increased when she begins to date a police detective (Irons) as almost a means to watch over him. Since then, he has only been able to talk with two people: his art history professor at school (Murphy) who gives him a sort of introductory philosophical lesson of the world, and his friend Johnny Ringers (Radcliffe), an overtly sexual teenager, not approved by Peter’s mother, who flaunts his sexuality to both male and females for both business and pleasure. Peter does find his world tolerable to an extent, but when he has an incident with a bully at school one day, his mother thinks it’s time to pull him out. Frustrated by this, Peter decides to run away. Johnny finds this a great idea, and he hotwires a car, and the two drive off.

Their road trip takes them to London where Johnny introduces Peter to the home he had lived in for a few years: a bar called “The Third Eye,” and its owner Dr. Capricorn (Williams). Capricorn is a strange man, but a knowledgeable and insightful one as well. He takes the two boys in, giving both of them the upstairs guestroom and Peter a job, and teaches Peter about the mysteries of life he never knew had existed. It is unclear where their new adventure might take them, or if Detective Carson will be tracking Peter with the greatest scrutiny, but one thing is certain: Peter’s life is on a wild new course that will lead him to grand discoveries.

What the Press would say:

Danny Boyle’s quirky, high spirited comedy-drama is a wild and fun ride, and it does provide more of a comedic edge than a dramatic one most of the time. Boyle’s trickery with the camera and the London locations set the audience up for a fun ride with these two characters. Andrew Simpson, of “Notes on a Scandal” fame, provides a quirky performance and brings a great sense of adolescent angst and teenage curiosity for exploration. His partner-in-crime for the film, Daniel Radcliffe, also provides a nice performance to the ensemble. While he is obviously known for his Harry Potter fame, Radcliffe shows us a different side. His playful energy goes well in hand with some striking emotional scenes he has with Simpson’s character, such as conversations about his troubled past and questioned sexuality. Radcliffe has even shown in the Potter films that his range as an actor is growing, and here he showcases it even more. Another supporting player that does well is Paul Williams. Williams does a magnificent job at creating the “wise old man” character. His insights into life are quirky and strange at the same time enlightening and thoughtful. Williams brings this out of the box character into the light and creates something that we won’t ever forget. Frank Cottrell Boyce gives us another sweet, bonding tale laced within the screenplay, and Williams also does a great job at the music: the upbeat score, reminiscent of his nostalgic 70s era, and a road trip song that he collaborated with Bernie Taupin to produce. The campaign consideration:

Best Picture
Best Director: Danny Boyle
Best Actor: Andrew Simpson
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Radcliffe
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Williams
Best Original Screenplay: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Best Original Score
Best Original Song