Human Traffic

Though the story is a bit old-hat, even for 1999, there are some really energised performances to enjoy in this story of angst and frustration amongst five twenty-something friends. It's really all about poor "Jip" (John Simm) who's obsessed with not being able to get it up! Is he just so stressed to function? His best mate "Koop" (Shaun Parkes) has no such problems with his bored, burger flipping, girlfriend "Nina" (Nicola Reynolds). Then there's the misunderstood and frustrated "Moff" (Danny Dyer) and finally "Lulu" (Lorraine Pilkington) who's hitherto seemed the more grown up of the bunch, with little interest in men and their foibles. It's a Friday afternoon and skint as they are, they are set for a boozy, drug-fuelled weekend in the clubs. It doesn't start well, which requires a bit of bravado from think-on-your-feet "Jip" but then they're off! For the next ninety minutes we take turns following each of them, and their peccadilloes, as the threads gradually knit towards a denouement that's a bit predicable but that's not the point. It's the joyride leading up to it that's entertaining, foul-mouthed and fresh. It's got an authenticity to it that Simm, especially, and Pilkington positively wallow in. They are just like the rest of us were at that age - a hormonal mess of anxieties and despair mixed with a life's too short mentality and these five carry that off well. It does have a slight serious side - and I'm sure the analysts could write a book about their behavioural issues, or about the difficulties of parenting - bit that's all subliminally delivered in a maelstrom of noise, music and excess. There's some pretty shocking overacting now and again, too - but on the whole it's a good laugh.