Who’s in it? Conor McCarron, Peter Mullan, Martin Bell, Linda Cuthbert

What type of movie is it? Drama

What certificate is it? 18

What’s it about? </strong>Peter Mullan’s third film as a writer and director returns him to the 1970s Glasgow of his youth and looks at the gritty life of a troubled teen in a world of knife crime and abuse.

Is it any good? Born in Glasgow in the early 70s my Mum has always told me about how the city was then namely marred by violence and the victim of socio-economics. I have to admit that I thought she was making some of it up and wondered how it could be like – but if Peter Mullan’s film is as accurate as he says it is, and he should know as he’s Glasgow born and bred for the best part of his life, then it must be. That fact is terrifying but not as terrifying, uncomfortable, stark and relentless as NEDS. I haven’t found it so hard to watch a movie in ages but it’s not because of it being a bad film but purely because the despair onscreen as you watch people get caught up in a world where the clock is ticking on your survival from the moment they step out the door is genuinely uncomfortable. Conor McCarron is a true talent and scarily adept at being truly evil while also getting you to utterly empathise with him and his situation, not blaming him, or at the very least not entirely damning him as he fights (figuratively and actually) for his life. Surrounded by a barbed cast of young actors who are the real Mccoy and doing that a job that I would defy anyone not from that area to pull off, Conor is one to watch and I hope this isn’t his only film – and that he doesn’t get drawn into a Brit Flick vortex of just playing hard bastards. Peter Mullan also stars in this film as the abusive father and captures this tortured soul so perfectly that you wish we got to know about him and saw more of him – although on the other hand maybe we could have had too much of a good bad thing? Harsher, starker and more difficult to watch than the outstanding Magdalene Sisters (which wasn’t exactly a laugh-fest) this film deserves to find an audience but that audience will need a strong disposition. NEDS is a bitter, gritty and voilent pill to swallow that will leave you exhausted, depressed, disturbed and shocked but you won’t forget it. This frank honesty was just too much for me and didn’t leave me with the feeling of being glad I’d seen it so I can’t recommend it as one to see – however it does deserve recognition for bravery, vision, honesty and realism.

Watch? Don’t Watch? Don’t Watch

NEDS hits UK cinemas on January 21 2011