The Virtues (new drama from Shane Meadows)

Basq · 19-04-2019 10:06pm #1

Not quite another This Is England but lots of the cast and looks mighty good!

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-04-18/the-virtues-channel-4-air-date-cast-plot-trailer-stephen-graham-shane-meadows/

JP Liz V1 · 03-05-2019 1:21am

It starts Wednesday 15th of May at 9pm

Autecher · 03-05-2019 9:00am

Someone on another forum I'm on has seen the first episode of this and described it as (Spoiler free of course.)

"I've just watched a screener of the first episode and found it quite intriguing. Tense, queasy and grim, in typical Meadows style."

brian_t · 03-05-2019 12:07pm

Once Upon a Time in the Midlands
This is England
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone
Dead Man's Shoes

Are all on Film 4 - next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Gimme A Pound · 15-05-2019 9:37pm

Watching The Virtues now - Jesus Christ, I'm already in ribbons. The opening is absolutely heartbreaking...

Stephen Graham is... beyond belief superb.

jos28 · 15-05-2019 11:18pm

That was tough going, an emotional rollercoaster. Tender, poignant scenes, grim and difficult to watch scenes. Stephen Graham was a giant actor carrying an immensely harrowing story in a very realistic and gritty drama. I'm exhausted after watching it. There seems to be plenty of Irish actors in the coming episodes. I really missed the Netflix next episode starting caption. Dying to see the next episode but fear that there won't be any happy endings.
Brilliant drama , fair play to all concerned

Always Tired · 15-05-2019 11:27pm

I had the fear just watching him on that session. Superb performance.

Hard going but also hard hitting. Looking forward to following it.

16-05-2019 8:26am

I love the almost documentary style - the way the characters talk like real people, ie. not overly scripted and not perfectly enunciated.

Stephen Graham is breaking my heart, though. I'm only just getting over Line of Duty.

CoBo55 · 16-05-2019 8:31am

Very very good, anyone who's struggled with alcohol would understand that bender, not drinking the cider was brilliantly done, he's a fantastic actor.

fitzparker · 16-05-2019 8:38am

Deleted User wrote: »

I love the almost documentary style - the way the characters talk like real people, ie. not overly scripted and not perfectly enunciated.

Stephen Graham is breaking my heart, though. I'm only just getting over Line of Duty.

This is what i love about meadows, even the kid acting, nothing is forced, the bar scene felt like he just walked in with a camera and told Graham to start acting and see what happens, it all feels so real.

jos28 · 16-05-2019 5:09pm

Incredibly realistic, I was nearly shouting at the screen at the start of the bar scene. Screaming at Stephen Graham to go home (in my head).
Like Missusj, I'm still getting over Line of Duty.

Gimme A Pound · 16-05-2019 5:19pm

A woman moving far away from her child's father with her child and her new partner, when relations are perfectly fine between father and child, just seems so cruel (on the kid too). I know, I'm a grown woman, but I bawled inconsolably at that scene. It was unbearable.

It also affects grandparents and aunts/uncles/cousins/the child's friends. So harsh.

16-05-2019 6:04pm

I actually had to stop half way. Just so hard to watch. Il have to finish it when I’m a bit more emotionally available!!

The bar scene, like god I felt every bit of it.

Aidric · 16-05-2019 9:07pm

Outstanding again from Meadows, carried by a quite brilliant performance from Graham. It was heartbreaking watching the descent of Graham as he struggled to come to terms with the reality of his son moving to the other side of the world.

More than anything you could sense the shame he felt for his actions. When his son called him while he was on the bus and he didn't take the call out of a mixture of shame and being strung out an a hangover. He then calls him again in the cafe and he picks up the phone pretending to be all chipper and straight in with the excuse of falling off the ladder. Man, that was heartbreaking. The scene where he struggled with choosing whether to drink the cheap bottle of cider was similarly tough.

All round a brilliant opening start to a 4 parter. Looking forward to what's to come.

Dante7 · 16-05-2019 10:44pm

Jaxx Lemon Bib wrote: »

A woman moving far away from her child's father with her child and her new partner, when relations are perfectly fine between father and child, just seems so cruel (on the kid too). I know, I'm a grown woman, but I bawled inconsolably at that scene. It was unbearable.

It also affects grandparents and aunts/uncles/cousins/the child's friends. So harsh.

Those sort of decisions are quite common in UK family law cases. It's not quite as prevalent here, but it does happen. Although, here, if a father shows involvement in the child's life and goes to the trouble of going to court, permission to remove the child will usually be denied.

JP Liz V1 · 16-05-2019 10:58pm

Stephen Graham is one of the best actors of this generation

Dante7 · 16-05-2019 11:37pm

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Stephen Graham is one of the best actors of this generation

I was going to say, give him the BAFTA/Emmys now, but Jared Harris for Chernobyl and whatever he does next is better.

jos28 · 17-05-2019 12:36am

I had seen This is England years ago and just had to watch the film again tonight. Jesus, powerful stuff. Strange to watch it this time with Brexit in mind. Shane Meadows is a genius

17-05-2019 10:45am

Dead man shoes is one of those films I watched years ago and have never forgotten it.

Goodigal · 17-05-2019 10:51am

When he told his son that he could call the other guy dad in Australia, I lost it. How heartbreaking was that?! But I truly wanted the pub scene to end. It was awful to see the decline. Looking forward to seeing how the back story unfolds.

Gimme A Pound · 17-05-2019 10:55am

Yeah that bit (telling his boy that it would be ok to call his mother's boyfriend Dad) was the worst, Goodigal. The character is such a decent guy.

Paxton Old Sunburn wrote: »

Dead man shoes is one of those films I watched years ago and have never forgotten it.

That floored me... :-/

Shane Meadows, what are you trying to do to us!

Taiga · 19-05-2019 8:50pm

Just watched it there now, Jebus I'm a mess. Wrecked after it. Stephen Graham was just stunning in it, couldn't take my eyes off him. And yeah the 'you can call him Dad' and the whole bar scene, I could barely breathe. Absolutely brilliantly done.

I haven't seen anything else Shane Meadows has done but I'll rectify that pronto!

Basq · 19-05-2019 9:20pm

Taiga wrote: »

I haven't seen anything else Shane Meadows has done but I'll rectify that pronto!

You lucky so-and-so!

Enjoy!

gucci · 20-05-2019 12:10pm

This is great, by great I mean absoloute torture to watch, but having watched and been intrigued by the previous Shane Meadows content I had a fair idea of what i was letting myself in for.
(The this is England tv show was one of the very few tv shows/ movies ever that i needed to turn off and watch at a different time because my head wasnt able to deal with the content at the time)

That bar scene, wow.

You just know its not going to be pretty, but its the balance between winding the tension up and balancing the emotion is whats so good in these shows. Its probably down to pace and how its shot, but it would be so easy to over do some scene, or for it to get hammy but its always shot and controlled. Fantastic.

Gimme A Pound · 20-05-2019 1:00pm

gucci wrote: »

This is great, by great I mean absoloute torture to watch, but having watched and been intrigued by the previous Shane Meadows content I had a fair idea of what i was letting myself in for.
(The this is England tv show was one of the very few tv shows/ movies ever that i needed to turn off and watch at a different time because my head wasnt able to deal with the content at the time)

Exact same here for the film. Had to leave it until a few years later.

Hats off also to Shane Meadows for his skill in preventing a slide into the salacious and exploitative. These are extremely difficult, dark matters and can be fodder for misery porn (not that I haven't watched such stuff myself) but his take is: these are matters that need to be explored, the stories need to be told, so here they are, but with humour too. I think the humour helps get through it.

anewme · 21-05-2019 8:05am

Had to post here. Watched the first episode last night on All4. Stephen Graham is mesmerizing. What a talented actor. I was literally on the edge of my seat while he was in the bar. Just wow.

gucci · 21-05-2019 8:37am

Jaxx Lemon Bib wrote: »

Exact same here for the film. Had to leave it until a few years later.

Hats off also to Shane Meadows for his skill in preventing a slide into the salacious and exploitative. These are extremely difficult, dark matters and can be fodder for misery porn (not that I haven't watched such stuff myself) but his take is: these are matters that need to be explored, the stories need to be told, so here they are, but with humour too. I think the humour helps get through it.

I might be overthinking it, but i think Meadows setting these stories in Northern towns helps maintain the balance of emotion and humour. It just makes it feel more authentic imo

bobbyss · 22-05-2019 4:25pm

Joseph said he was going to 'Southern Ireland' when taking the ferry to Belfast. I'm sure I heard that? Or am I wrong? No scenes were filmed in the Republic as far as I know so if he's actually going to 'Southern Ireland' it will be interesting to see how that developes.
Great programme. Great acting. This is what telly is for!

anewme · 22-05-2019 4:47pm

He did say Southern Ireland. Cant wait to see this tonight.

jos28 · 22-05-2019 4:50pm

I try not to drink midweek but might need a drink tonight if last week's episode is anything to go by

Gimme A Pound · 22-05-2019 5:11pm

No ferry from Liverpool to Belfast between morning and night, and no mention of a ferry to Dublin - pretty dubious in an otherwise top notch production.

Just remembered the start too when he's being driven to work by the guy bitching and moaning about night feeds for his newborn - to a guy who's about to say goodbye to his child until who knows when...

bobbyss · 22-05-2019 5:13pm

jos28 wrote:

I try not to drink midweek but might need a drink tonight if last week's episode is anything to go by

Yet I would down my expectations. Was looking forward to the last episode of the incomparable Line of Duty but it was a let down.
So I'm going to tune in and see what happens.

anewme · 22-05-2019 5:13pm

jos28 wrote: »

I try not to drink midweek but might need a drink tonight if last week's episode is anything to go by

I'm thinking the exact same!

Was due to go to the gym but cancelled and cant wait to go home to watch this.

joe40 · 22-05-2019 5:18pm

I must give this a try. I'm not very familiar with shane meadows but Dead man shoes is one of my favourite films. Just rewatched it last night. Still class

Taiga · 22-05-2019 5:24pm

Sorry to derail the thread slightly but briefly but is any of SM's other stuff on Netflix by any chance?

Gimme A Pound · 22-05-2019 9:29pm

Keep it together Gimme...

22-05-2019 9:35pm

First of all, loving The Virtues, Stephen Graham is amazing.

But I logged in just to say, thanks for recommending Dead Mans Shoes.
Ive just finished watching it.

Its been a long time since I enjoyed a movie that much. Bloody hell, it was intense. :eek: I was glued to it.

Surprised I haven't heard of it before now.

Now I plan on watching the rest of Meadows stuff, apart from This is England, which Ive seen and loved

phatkev · 22-05-2019 10:56pm

Meadows really does know how to pull on the audiences heartstrings! Amazing performances all round

yabadabado · 22-05-2019 11:11pm

Jaxx Lemon Bib wrote: »

No ferry from Liverpool to Belfast between morning and night, and no mention of a ferry to Dublin - pretty dubious in an otherwise top notch production.

There is a ferry between Liverpool and Belfast at 10.30pm .

Basq · 22-05-2019 11:19pm

Gimme A Pound wrote: »

No ferry from Liverpool to Belfast between morning and night, and no mention of a ferry to Dublin - pretty dubious in an otherwise top notch production.

yabadabado wrote: »

There is a ferry between Liverpool and Belfast at 10.30pm .

bobbyss · 22-05-2019 11:35pm

Anybody just a little disappointed with episode two,
The walk at the start was way too long. Are we meant to believe he walked from Belfast to Louth? The scene between the two siblings in the bedroom was however exceptional.
That strange fellow at work was a little bit too much. Touch of a caricature I felt.

yabadabado · 23-05-2019 12:50am

bobbyss wrote: »

Anybody just a little disappointed with episode two,
The walk at the start was way too long. Are we meant to believe he walked from Belfast to Louth? The scene between the two siblings in the bedroom was however exceptional.
That strange fellow at work was a little bit too much. Touch of a caricature I felt.

Yeah I think it sorted looked like he walked/hitched from the Ferry to Louth. It's only about 50 miles so manageable but could have shown him maybe getting a lift or even sleeping rough one night.
Would explain why he was panned out on the side of the street in the morning.

It wouldn't effect my enjoy of it,I liked that part of it.

Gimme A Pound · 23-05-2019 1:39am

yabadabado wrote: »

There is a ferry between Liverpool and Belfast at 10.30pm .

I said it seemed unlikely that there is no ferry to Belfast at any other time of day between morning and night. What i gathered was that Joe went to the depot in the morning but had just missed the morning ferry and had to wait until night time for the next one. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a ferry to Belfast in the afternoon or early evening. So I had a check

- yep, 13 crossings daily from Birkenhead to Belfast! Maybe they were all booked up until night time though...

But anyway, just a small thing I noticed.

Thought it was excellent again. The scene between him and his sister, catching up - didn't manage to keep it together, although I wasn't sobbing like last week. Takes some acting to make me cry. They conveyed the sorrow, pain and guilt from the gut. A heck of an experience for the actors too. They must have been wrecked by it. Helen Behan was extraordinary - a match for Stephen Graham, and she doesn't have much experience or training I gather. They were all brilliant.

cozar · 23-05-2019 9:35am

Taiga wrote: »

Sorry to derail the thread slightly but briefly but is any of SM's other stuff on Netflix by any chance?

there are some of his films on All 4 i think including this is England and the series.

fitzparker · 23-05-2019 10:58am

Before last nights episode I was worried that the Irish actors would ruin the casting (Typical Irish begrudger I guess) and that is what I looked out for most, but again the casting was excellent from meadows, he seems to have a nack for kids with natural acting ability, those kids were super, loved the questions at the table.

is it just me or is all of meadows best scenes at a kitchen table?

last week in Virtues

This is england:
Combo and milky in the cafe

and probably my favorite ever scene from anything I watched was in this is england 90 (episode 3) when everyone was sitting around the dining table, a master class of raw acxting, I have never seen anything like it.

Meadows is a master class at casting, for anyone that has never seen it, here is a video of when he met Thomas turgoose for the role of Shaun in This is england, its really funny... he mentions going to dublin which is gas

Ash.J.Williams · 23-05-2019 12:27pm

fitzparker wrote: »

Before last nights episode I was worried that the Irish actors would ruin the casting (Typical Irish begrudger I guess) and that is what I looked out for most, but again the casting was excellent from meadows, he seems to have a nack for kids with natural acting ability, those kids were super, loved the questions at the table.

is it just me or is all of meadows best scenes at a kitchen table?

last week in Virtues

This is england:
Combo and milky in the cafe

and probably my favorite ever scene from anything I watched was in this is england 90 (episode 3) when everyone was sitting around the dining table, a master class of raw acxting, I have never seen anything like it.

Meadows is a master class at casting, for anyone that has never seen it, here is a video of when he met Thomas turgoose for the role of Shaun in This is england, its really funny... he mentions going to dublin which is gas

that's not Meadows

...he's the big cheese you meet him at the next stage!

Ash.J.Williams · 23-05-2019 12:29pm

Jaxx Lemon Bib wrote: »

I said it seemed unlikely that there is no ferry to Belfast at any other time of day between morning and night. What i gathered was that Joe went to the depot in the morning but had just missed the morning ferry and had to wait until night time for the next one. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a ferry to Belfast in the afternoon or early evening. So I had a check - yep, 13 crossings daily from Birkenhead to Belfast! Maybe they were all booked up until night time though...

But anyway, just a small thing I noticed.

Thought it was excellent again. The scene between him and his sister, catching up - didn't manage to keep it together, although I wasn't sobbing like last week. Takes some acting to make me cry. They conveyed the sorrow, pain and guilt from the gut. A heck of an experience for the actors too. They must have been wrecked by it. Helen Behan was extraordinary - a match for Stephen Graham, and she doesn't have much experience or training I gather. They were all brilliant.

ah ffs dude....the ferry is neither here nor there...

Ash.J.Williams · 23-05-2019 12:31pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Anybody just a little disappointed with episode two,
The walk at the start was way too long. Are we meant to believe he walked from Belfast to Louth? The scene between the two siblings in the bedroom was however exceptional.
That strange fellow at work was a little bit too much. Touch of a caricature I felt.

you're not meant to believe he walked from belfast to Louth

Ash.J.Williams · 23-05-2019 12:36pm

Jaxx Lemon Bib wrote: »

No ferry from Liverpool to Belfast between morning and night, and no mention of a ferry to Dublin - pretty dubious in an otherwise top notch production.

Just remembered the start too when he's being driven to work by the guy bitching and moaning about night feeds for his newborn - to a guy who's about to say goodbye to his child until who knows when...

it's not on his IMDB but i think the guy driving the van is the legendary Herbie from Dead mans shoes?

Ash.J.Williams · 23-05-2019 12:37pm

See mcsavage on the VHS footage??

RobMc59 · 23-05-2019 2:04pm

Slightly off topic but if you like Paddy Considine he was in a film a couple of years ago called Journeyman with Jodie Whittaker (Dr who,broadchurch)which is worth a look.

The Virtues (new drama from Shane Meadows)

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