Hold Back The Night review

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Charleen (Tremarco), a teenager fleeing from her abusive father, hooks up with eco-warrior Declan (Sinclair Blyth). After an incident at their road protest camp, the youngsters escape towards the Scottish Highlands. En route they encounter Vera (Hancock), an ailing woman whose dying wish is to see a sunrise on the Orkney Islands.

This is a well-intentioned, if simplistic exploration of damaged individuals coming to terms with their traumatic pasts. Tremarco gives an electrifying performance as the vituperative young woman, while Hancock invests Vera with some affecting dignity.

Visually, however, the piece resembles a made-for-TV drama, while the screenplay struggles to offer up any fresh insights.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

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