Grow Your Own (2007)

This unknown little British comedy production gave me no expectations, other than perhaps an overly simple and sentimental narrative featuring stock characters, but the presence of Frank Cottrell Boyce (previously screenwriter for Danny Boyle and Michael Winterbottom) on the credits sould have warned me that this would overcome such clichés.

Grow Your Own tells the very British story of an allotment acting as a microcosm for English society with an assortment of English characters facing the influx of immigrants and refugees (from China, Iran and Africa). A programme helping bereaved families from overseas provides allotment plots so the individuals can regain their self-belief and confidence of active, outdoor gardening rather than having their senses nullified by drugs. The narrative evolves into a story of community and acceptance, as well as the more political tones of revolution against the capitalism of a mobile phone company planning to plant a phone mast.

Obviously the community is divided as to how the newcomers should be treated, with some feeling that the allotment's identity is under threat from 'alien' vegetables, but even these latter folk have to admit that the friendly Iranian doctor provides great benefits. The turning point of the film is when the UK Immigration service arrive to deport the Iranian family and all the members of the allotment are shook up, perhaps for the first time understanding the predicaments that these foreigners find themselves in.

The film retains a slightly superficial cheery nature throughout but we are treated to moments of deep seriousness too, such as when the Chinese man recounts the horrific journey his family made to Britain in a cargo container - including sitting beside his wife's body for days before they arrived.

There are moments of romance, pride, optimism and friendship, as well as the sadness of loneliness, that ensure the film is never too suffocated by its political themes, but at the same time this means that the main achievement of the film is to entertain, rather than convey any serious message. It's excellent cast of noticeable faces from British cinema also lend it a great familiarity, particularly to an English audience...it was my mum's kind of film.

Still, I didn't mind too much that I missed Arthur Penn's excellent Bonnie and Clyde on the other channel.