Sixteen Years Of Alcohol (DVD)
APPROX. 96 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 2003 - MPA RATING: R
" In most cases, the voice-over of "16 Years" gives us information that is repeated minutes later in the actual dialogue of the scene. It's a shame as some of matched the poetic nature of the visuals.
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"Trainspotting meets A Clockwork Orange" says the cover to "16 Years of Alcohol" which also deals with a lead character's life of brutality and excess. However, "16 Years" differs by taking a more slower, poetic route as opposed to its predecessors more anarchic pace. "16 Years" is based on writer/director, Richard Jobson's memoirs about his own addictions to alcohol and violence. Jobson was a part of the Scottish punk band, The Skids, in his teens. A fellow member, the late-Stuart Adamson, would go on to form 80's one-hit wonder, Big Country.
Kevin McKidd (best known as the doomed Tommy in "Trainspotting") plays Frankie, a street punk pounding back shots and pounding people's heads into the concrete. At the beginning of the film, Frankie is chased by unknown assailants down into a darkened alley where he is beaten to death. Through voice-over (ala "Sunset Boulevard"), Frankie explains who he is and how things don't turn out the way you hoped they would. Back to childhood as we meet Frankie and his parents. Frankie adores his father (Lewis Macleod), together they reenact shootout scenes from "Shane" with son as Alan Ladd and dad as Jack Palance. Dad in turn adores Mom (Lisa May Cooper) even singing her a ballad at a pub. Soon after, Dad leaves the bar alone and Frankie follows only to witness his quick fling with another woman. Frankie's idyllic world is shattered.
His parents fight loudly until Mom runs off, leaving Frankie to turn to the bottle at a remarkably young age. Flash forward a few years and Frankie his the bars and anybody that gets in his way with a trio of fellow hoodlums. The "Clockwork Orange" references are overt from the gang's dancing under a bridge in white outfits with black boots to the movie poster hanging in Frankie's room. Frankie also has a Bruce Lee poster and practices his kung fu poses in front of a mirror, symbolizing a shift from the heroes (Dad, Shane) he once worshipped as a child. I should also mention one member of the gang, Miller (Stuart Sinclair Blyth) is the Dim to Frankie's Alex. He is the less-intelligent lummox who can only take so much of Frankie's taunts and beatings.
