Small Time (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts 30.2 extract: Small Time (1996)

Incredibly amateur, but, at the same time, pretty brilliant. 

Made by a bunch of friends who had no money, access to some video cameras, a few tapes and a bunch of horrific wigs, Small Time is as genuine as it is small-budget. Following a group of petty thieves constantly on the nick - anything from dog food to a kid's bike will do - this explores sour, long-term friendships as well as small-town escapism with strong doses of cultural realism. In fact, this is the kind of film that has me reconsider 'world cinema' from the inside out. In such, I felt that I was simultaneously consuming a film made on an alien world and a film made on the streets outside my window - which is surreal, embarrassing and kind of awesome all at the same. 

I can't bring myself to fault this one. Meadows simply does a great job in projecting his voice and personality through this film; the work of a nutty auteur that's well worth the watch - especially if you're a Brit.