DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME begins rather inauspiciously as David (James Borough) has a one-night stand with Karen (Kate Henry) and travels from London to Liverpool in pursuit of her. There he finds that she already has a lover (Jason Mulhearn), so his journey has been wasted. Drifting round the streets of Liverpool with nothing to do, he enters a betting-shop and wins £200 with the help of clerk Tina (Helen Elizabeth). He persuades her to spend the afternoon with him, and they go for a walk around the city, ending up at Southport sands.
David Morrissey's film has a strong sense of place; the washed-out grays and whites give the sense of a city and its environs at its worst on a dank day. This is an indifferent World, where David gets robbed of his wallet as he sleeps in the Street, and some Liverpudlians throw coppers at him in the belief that he is a beggar. Tina has a humdrum existence trying to look after her grandma and her brother Danny (Robbie Gott, who suffers from Down's Syndrome. Morrissey explores some of the prejudices held by Londoners like David against people in the North of England, as well as against Danny; once he comes face to face with the boy, however, his attitudes instantly change.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME also reveals the basic loneliness of modern post-industrial life; people gather in pubs without talking to one another; or exchange words without really thinking about others. David and Tina spend the afternoon together and discover a kind of kinship with each other. They don't have a relationship as such, but they do manage to talk to each other - even if it's only just for one afternoon. David will have to return to London to look after his sick mother, and Tina will continue looking after her family; but just for one brief moment they can set aside their responsibilities and simply have fun.
The two central actors give excellent performance, and Morrissey's direction is unobtrusive yet keeps our attention focused on the actors' gestures as well their words. DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME is a low-budget flick, but an immensely rewarding experience to watch.
