Writer/director Duane Hopkins's first feature is a compelling and highly credible insight into the deterioration of life in rural Britain. Making evocative use of his Cotswold locations, he creates a multi-stranded narrative that powerfully captures the genuine sense of isolation and torpor felt by the community, from young heroin addicts to a dying grandmother. This is only undermined by a failure to connect the juvenile and geriatric characters, and the guilt, envy, fear and despair they share. But for all the desolation of the landscape and the oppressiveness of the silences, there are moments of optimism here, as pulp romance-reading Rachel McIntyre conquers her agoraphobia, ailing Frank Bench confronts his wife over a long-held resentment, and Che Corr emerges from the shadow of self-destructive slacker Liam McIlfatrick to seize his best chance of a worthwhile future. Hopkins uses a predominantly non-professional cast and their performances match the sullen naturalism of Lol Crawley's cinematography and Douglas MacDougall's disconcerting sound design, making this an impressive debut.

Gail's agoraphobia keeps her inside where she escapes into romance novels. She shares a house with her Nan, recently back from the hospital. Gradually, they both try to reach out to each other to break their isolation. Rob plunges further into his addiction as a way of numbing his heartbreak over the death of his girlfriend. In his stupor, he dreams of embracing her again. Mr & Mrs Gladwin are going through a shift in their 60 year relationship. Years of resentment and unspoken truths have built a barrier between them that Mrs Gladwin, in her abiding love, tries to erode in little gestures.