The Moo Man review

Pull the udder one

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A big-screen film about dairy farming? Pull the udder one.

Yet Andy Heathcote and Heike Bachelier’s doc about one man and his cow milks our emotions adroitly as it gently ruminates on Sussex farmer Stephen Hook’s heroic efforts to maintain the family business in a harsh economic climate.

OK, so there aren’t too many revelations here, the pace is somewhat stately and for all the bucolic loveliness the style isn’t overly cinematic.

But as time ticks on and the seasons change, you realise what’s at stake: not just one family’s smallholding but an entire way of life.

Freelance Writer

Neil Smith is a freelance film critic who has written for several publications, including Total Film. His bylines can be found at the BBC, Film 4 Independent, Uncut Magazine, SFX, Heat Magazine, Popcorn, and more.