Love + Hate review

Romeo And Juliet go oop North in this compelling drama from writer-director Dominic Savage, which explores interracial love in a society where racism exists on each side of the ethnic divide. Set in an unnamed mill-town where whites and Asians live together in fractious disharmony, it's the tender tale of a teenage shelf-stacker (Tom Hudson) whose disgust at working alongside a "Paki" (Samina Awan) soon gives way to an attraction both are afraid to acknowledge.

Handheld photography and improvised dialogue give Savage's debut feature a telling authenticity that's bolstered by his young leads' raw and honest performances. So it's a shame that the story heavily relies on coincidence and contrivance. Still, like 2004's A Way Of Life, it proves that Brit cinema is richer or more relevant when it tackles subjects closer to home.