In Our Name

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Suzy (Joanne Froggatt) returns home to the North East after serving a tour of duty in Iraq. She is glad to be back home, but soon finds readjusting to civilian life isn't as easy as she'd imagined. Finding herself struggling with post traumatic stress disorder over the death of a child, Suzy also has to contend with her violent partner Mark (Mel Raido), who also served in the forces, as he forces her to take drastic action which threatens to push them both over the edge.

The subject of the Iraq war and how those who served in it are returning home with mental health disorders triggered by their experiences there is something that's starting to get some attention in the press and various other outlets, and In Our Name attempts to make a drama out of it, highlighting with subtlety and sensitivity the delicate mind set of a soldier coming home. This is especially relevant when you consider more troopers die coming home than on the battlefield (through suicide/alcoholism etc) and the film sets out to show that the battle isn't over for the warrior just because they're out of the war zone.

The more deprived, decrepit areas of the NE have provided an appropriately grim backdrop for serious drama since Get Carter, and director Brian Welsh makes good use of the run down, graffiti/vandalism laden housing estates to set his story against, creating a fitting atmosphere. Froggatt is a revelation as the battle hardened soldier, a feisty hellcat who stands her ground and takes no bullsh!t, with equally decent support from Raido, Andrew Knott as a comrade who looks out for Suzy and Chloe Jayne Wilkinson as the daughter who knows more than is being let on.

Overall, quite a faultless examination, showing the inner struggles of the person who thinks they can handle everything. ****