The Street - DVD

With anthology series, we typically get the fantastical or the horrific--so "The Street" is that rare treat. It is a dramatic anthology, telling six separate stories all set on one English street. Some of the characters overlap from time to time, but essentially each segment is a self contained entity. I'm not sure why anthologies have been relegated mostly to sci-fi or horror because "The Street" aptly demonstrates that you can generate rewarding and powerful drama in individual episodes.

The quality of writing and acting in each of the segments is uniformly excellent. With seasoned veterans like Timothy Spall, Jim Broadbent, and Jane Horrocks (among many others) participating--you know you've got something special. Broadcast stateside on BBC America, "The Street" is one of the most emotionally satisfying programs I've seen in quite a while.

While everyone has a favorite episode when it comes to an anthology series, there were three in particular that stood out for me. The first starred Jane Horrocks as a housewife engaged in an affair with a neighbor. When her lover inadvertently strikes her daughter with his car, their world starts to unravel. This is an acting tour-de-force from everyone involved and one of the best hours of TV I've seen this year--it's emotionally riveting. I also enjoyed a segment where an ordinary teacher accidentally exposes himself to a young girl. As a witchhunt evolves, it is painfully realistic and frighteningly plausible. And then there is an episode on domestic abuse that is also extremely powerful. All of these episodes would easily rank at 5 stars for me.

Two segments were at 4 stars. One involves a good kid who gets caught up in a world of drugs--it's a sad and frustrating look at the effects of peer pressure. And the other involves Timothy Spall as a cab driver who ends up with a homeless immigrant that he can't abandon. There is a lot of warmth and humanity within this tale. Interestingly enough, the only episode at 3 stars is also the series' most lighthearted. Still, it explores old age and retirement in a relevant way with a nice performance by Jim Broadbent. While not my favorite, the ending is surprisingly moving.

Again, "The Street" is distinguished by film quality acting. It is emotionally charged drama with lots of humor, as well. Those looking for serious, adult entertainment will be well satisfied with "The Street." KGHarris, 11/06.

The Street shows us that the lives going on behind the front doors of houses are quite different from what we see. Sometimes the story is big, as in the first story of a child injured by a car. Sometimes, the story is smaller and private. But all of them are fascinating.

There are many pleasures in here, but wwhat I really admired and enjoyed in these stories was the source of the problems. The traditional Marxist Hollywood thinking, which all too often reduces all troubles to economic ones, would tell us that all the disasters these folks experience is the result of too little cash in their porckets. But the pain comes from the human heart, and there too are found the solutions. People can be wrong, and foolish, and mean spirited, and venal, and downright evil. They can act selfishly, pigheadedly or foully. (The rehearsal for Lady MacBeth in episode 3 is a clever touch.) But they can forgive, move on, and grow. Even without a raise or a promotion.

At times it is hard to believe that so much drama can go on in such apparently simple lives, but these are wonderful shows with wonderful acting, skillfully and touchingly presented. The choices don't always seem smart, but they do seem plausible and understandable. Flawed people doing what they hope is best. Sometimes regretting, as we all do.

An astounding thing about this series that caught me immediately was how they managed to make each character a complete and interesting person. Hollywood cannot seem to manage this, almost no matter how much time they take, and instead gives us characters with little tell-tale traits or possessions that are shorthand. For instance, how often does the main character in a major film drive some exotic or antique car? Yet how often do you see those cars in the real world? This is their way of telling us something about him or her without having to actually do any story telling. But in The Street there are no fakes, no short cuts, no gestures, yet they make every character a reasonably rounded person in a little less than an hour. Even when there is a huge cast. Even the kids who play such a large part of life on this street. Just a pleasure to watch.

Koch Vision presents "THE STREET" (2006) (654 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Under Terry McDonough (Director), David Blair (Director), Ken Horn (Series Producer), Jimmy McGovern (Screenwriter), Matthew Leys (Screenwriter) ------ the cast includes Jim Broadbent (Stan McDermott), Timothy Spall (Eddie McEvoy), Lee Ingleby (Sean O'Neill), Jane Horrocks (Angela Quinn), Christine Bottomley (Yvonne O'Neil), Michael Dixon (Mako), Mia Khan (Hayley O'Neil) - - - - the story line is set in the North of England, each episode concentrates on a different house in the street; each story is unique and individual but linked by community, shared experience and an indomitable sense of humor ... .Jimmy McGovern, one of British television's most prolific and influential writing talents returns with a major new drama series starring Jim Broadbent, Sue Johnston, David Schofield, Timothy Spall, Lee Ingelby and Jane Horrocks ... Go behind the closed doors of British row houses and find: a wife and her lover; a couple reigniting their 40-year marriage; a taxi driver whose life is turned upside-down by an unexpected friendship; two estranged sisters reunited by the breakdown of a marriage; a dedicated teacher victimized by a cruel misunderstanding; a father and son whose bond is tested; and a bitterly disillusioned pensioner who plots revenge ... meet the neighbors and marvel at the friendship, love, betrayal and redemption happening up and down "The Street" ... surprisingly dramatic and touching.

Great job by Koch Vision for releasing "The Street" (2006) - Jimmy McGovern, the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the BBC film market...order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch drama mixed with an outstanding cast and director --- just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 654 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV6429 ~ (1/16/2007)

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