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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 44293
Released: November 11, 2008 |
| Our Price: $8.47 |
| Used Price: $5.83 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Jamie Bell is Hallam Foe, a troubled young man whose knack for voyeurism paradoxically reveals his darkest fears, and his most peculiar desires. Driven to expose the true cause of his mother s death, he instead finds himself searching the rooftops of the city of Edinburgh for love. Featuring a lively soundtrack with Franz Ferdinand, Sons and Daughters and Orange Juice among others, MISTER FOE is a darkly twisted, entertaining work of magical realism.
Description of Mister Foe:
A benevolent voyeur sounds like a contradiction in terms, but no one would confuse David Mackenzie's charming Mister Foe with Michael Powell's chilling Peeping Tom. Two years after his mother's death from drowning, 17-year-old Hallam (Jamie Bell, recalling Tom Courtenay) leaves the verdant Highlands to try his luck in the concrete jungle of Edinburgh. Suicide would be bad enough, but he's convinced his seductive stepmother Verity (Claire Forlani) murdered Mrs. Foe in order to have the prosperous Julius (Ciarán Hinds) all to herself. Upon arrival in the city, Hallam spots a businesslike blonde who resembles his mother. Obsessed, he convinces Kate (Art School Confidential's Sophia Myles) to hire him as dishwasher in the hotel she represents. Aside from keeping an eye on the personnel director at work, Hallam spies on her flat from his hiding place in the hotel clock tower. If Kate's reaction to Hallam's nocturnal activities comes as a surprise, the overly-Oedipal reasons for his behavior don't (marking one of the script’s few missteps). Since Mackenzie and Ed Whitmore adapted from Peter Jinks' novel, it's hard to say whether they also took inspiration from Jerzy Skolimowski's Deep End or Krzysztof Kieslowski’s A Short Film About Love, but their troubled protagonist is just as sympathetic; the older object of his affection just as appealing. Like Skolimowski's 1971 effort, Mister Foe also features a marvelous soundtrack, a choice collection of Scottish indie pop, including Franz Ferdinand's closing theme. Mister Foe marks essential viewing for fans of Mackenzie and Bell alike. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Mister Foe Reviews:
A MUST HAVE!! 
2009-03-26 - Very rarely do I find a movie that intrigues me as much as this one. There is a fine cast, wonderful symbolism, beautiful scenery and stark colours. Watching him climb all over the rooftops was very enjoyable. The story has been told before but never with such quirkiness and sweetness. This movie made me laugh too. Hallam reminded me of my own 20 year old son that is constantly going through 'things'.
This is a must have for any fans of Jamie Bell, and in my opinion, this is by far the best work he has done. I would love to see Sophie Myers and Jamie Bell do another movie together. Their sexual chemistry was great!!
For those that like quirky movies or 'different' movies this one is for you. It is currently my favorite movie. The music is fantastic and not run of the mill either.
This is a very unique movie and reminds me of why Jamie Bell is the only actor that I will plunk money down in anything he does. It has been a great ride since Billy Elliot and I am certainly enjoying the ride. He carried the movie as he often does.
Disappointing 
2009-02-20 - I really enjoyed the book Hallam Foe and couldn't wait to see the film. However, now that I have I do not have that fulfillment I was expecting. The story stays fairly true to the source material, but it greatly lacks the emotion of the book. Most notably, the motivations of Hallam are unconvincing, even unclear in the film. Hallam has strange, disgusting habits, and the lack of realism and relatability ruins any chance that the viewer will sympathize with such a character. Instead of odd and endearing, he is just odd.
Another aspect that I was disappointed with was the score of the film. I like the music and the bands on their own, and as a standalone album it works fine. However, the songs seemed too forced, too frequent, and too prominently placed in the film. Instead of complementing the story, they overpowered it.
Overall, if the plot sounds interesting to you, I highly suggest reading the book, and not to expect as much from the film.
Sparkling with Energy
2009-02-12 - "Mister Foe" is a delightful surprise! Perhaps oddball coming-of-age movies strike a chord with me. My all-time favorite is probably Harold and Maude about a young man who, like Hallam Foe, has unusual behavior. Jamie Bell, who was excellent in Jumper and came to our attention with "Billy Elliott" in 2000, plays a young man who is a peeping tom in an apparent reaction to the loss of his mother. The intensity and range he expresses glued my eyes to the film. Claire Forlani who captured my heart in "Meet Joe Black" and was recently in "In the Name of the King" plays the heavy in the film, the domineering step-mother. She does a great job with her subtle performance. The moment early on in the film where Hallam refers to her as a lady of the evening is followed by a pregnant pause at his faux pas, followed by her rollicking laughter. It's a great moment. Hallam sees Kate in Edinburgh who resembles his mother and follows her, securing a job where she works. Kate is played by the lovely Sophia Myles who was on TV's "Moonlight" and also played in the film "Tristan & Isolde." Myles comments on the appealing nature of Bell's posterior in a witty aside in the DVD featurette. Kate sports a businesslike air on the job, but lets loose in her private life. Hallam spies on her as she makes love to her married lover Alasdair played by Jamie Sives. The moment when Sives looks up and makes eye contact with Hallam and seems to enjoy being watched as he makes love is so wrong in so many ways and yet works marvelously in the context of the film. Ciaran Hinds who was great in Stop-Loss and also was in "There Will Be Blood" plays Hallam's father Julius. The touching father-son moment is well played and creates emotional depth. Ewen Bremner who was in "Fool's Gold" has a delightful deleted scene and a sparkling cameo as Andy the bellhop. Maurice Roeves also has a great cameo as the grizzly old dishwasher. "Mister Foe" may be a naughty pleasure, but it is a delightful film, sparkling with energy and originality. Bravo!
Wow
2009-01-07 - A movie about voyeurism, love, death, fear and desire aptly played by Jamie Bell, who has an innocence yet a magnetic sex appeal that is unmatched by any creepy habit he may have. This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, a boy growing into a man.
Nice Badger!
2008-12-27 - Hallam Foe is a quirky movie exploring the emotional difficulties experienced by a teenage boy after the untimely and suspicious death of his mother. It examines loss and longing, guilt and helplessness, love and obsession. It's the way in which these themes are dealt with that puts the quirk into the movie and the reason why it's only partially successful. It's not always easy to accept the way the characters behave. There is simply too much improbable behaviour, particularly regarding the relationships between the troubled teen and the women he encounters. A little more realism would have added some necessary gravitas to a story that's meant to be weightier than it manages to be.
