Director: Jamie Thraves
Cast: Aidan Gillen, Tom Fisher, Riann Steele
Showtimes

This low budget Brit flick from director Jamie Thraves will have you on the edge of your seat, teasing your emotions from all sides.

Set in good ol' Saff London, the film is the story of a man called Tom (a vegetarian, who doesn't believe in heaven) running away from his past. Trying to start anew down south, Tom meets Aidan, an Irish guy with a lisp, in A&E, after losing a fight with a tree. From there a beautiful Shrek and Donkey style relationship unfolds.

It would seem as though the lead character should be Tom, but the show is completely stolen by Aidan. At first, it's difficult to know what to make of Aidan; he's a bit slow in the head, always smiling, and rather in-your-face. Yet once he introduces Tom to his life, one can't help but feel pity for him. He's beaten senseless (if there ever was any sense to begin with) by his girlfriend, and nothing seems to go right for him, but despite all his hardship he continues to smile and dream.

Treacle Jr. is tough to watch at points, but Aidan's childish charisma keeps the laughs flowing, which stops the flick becoming too serious and depressing. A glimpse of how much of a struggle life is when you have nothing, Jamie Thraves will have you not knowing whether to cringe or laugh. And it's all thanks to a great screenplay and cast.

VERDICT

Fantastic, gritty and heart-warming.

Your rating