When the Lights Went Out - review

Nostalgic horror from Pat Holden boasts an excellent cast and throws in more than just the kitchen sink
p48 When the lights goes out
14 September 2012

Imagine a poltergeist movie made by Ken Loach. It’s Pontefract, 1974. No-nonsense couple Jenny (Kate Ashfield) and Len (Steven Waddington) have just moved into a new council house with truculent teenage daughter Sally (Tasha Connor) when a Slinky comes bouncing down the stairs...

This low-budget effort from writer-director Pat Holden (Awaydays) is full of period detail that will provide heart-stabbing nostalgia for fortysomethings. It’s also about the waning but still-strong pull of the Catholic church and the uncanny joys of owning a des-res. You expect Ashfield’s rock solid performance but the whole cast are excellent, especially young newcomer Hannah Clifford as Lucy, Sally’s needy, urine-scented neighbour. Towards the end, Holden goes big on the horror stuff. In fact, he throws everything at us. A pity — he was better off with the kitchen sink.

Cert 15, 86 mins

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