SIXTEEN YEARS OF ALCOHOL - DVD review

"Trainspotting meets A Clockwork Orange" says the cover to "16 Years of Alcohol" which also deals with a lead character's life of brutality and excess. However, "16 Years" differs by taking a more slower, poetic route as opposed to its predecessors more anarchic pace. "16 Years" is based on writer/director, Richard Jobson's memoirs about his own addictions to alcohol and violence. Jobson was a part of the Scottish punk band, The Skids, in his teens. A fellow member, the late-Stuart Adamson, would go on to form 80's one-hit wonder, Big Country.

Kevin McKidd (best known as the doomed Tommy in "Trainspotting") plays Frankie, a street punk pounding back shots and pounding people's heads into the concrete. At the beginning of the film, Frankie is chased by unknown assailants down into a darkened alley where he is beaten to death. Through voice-over (ala "Sunset Boulevard"), Frankie explains who he is and how things don't turn out the way you hoped they would. Back to childhood as we meet Frankie and his parents. Frankie adores his father (Lewis Macleod), together they reenact shootout scenes from "Shane" with son as Alan Ladd and dad as Jack Palance. Dad in turn adores Mom (Lisa May Cooper) even singing her a ballad at a pub. Soon after, Dad leaves the bar alone and Frankie follows only to witness his quick fling with another woman. Frankie's idyllic world is shattered.

His parents fight loudly until Mom runs off, leaving Frankie to turn to the bottle at a remarkably young age. Flash forward a few years and Frankie his the bars and anybody that gets in his way with a trio of fellow hoodlums. The "Clockwork Orange" references are overt from the gang's dancing under a bridge in white outfits with black boots to the movie poster hanging in Frankie's room. Frankie also has a Bruce Lee poster and practices his kung fu poses in front of a mirror, symbolizing a shift from the heroes (Dad, Shane) he once worshipped as a child. I should also mention one member of the gang, Miller (Stuart Sinclair Blyth) is the Dim to Frankie's Alex. He is the less-intelligent lummox who can only take so much of Frankie's taunts and beatings.

At a record shop, Frankie meets Helen (Laura Fraser) and of course he falls for her, attempting to change his ways. Things don't quite work out when he nearly blows his top at a snooty couple in an art gallery. Frankie almost regresses until he meets Mary (Susan Lynch) at an intervention. Haunted by his father's infidelities, it is Frankie's inability to let go of his past that will destroy his chances at a new life.

Although the film clocks in at ninety-six minutes, it feels much longer due to the methodical pacing. There are a lot of visually striking scenes with nothing really happening that fill up the time. The plot is a quite simplistic and straightforward. Neither of these qualities bothered so much as the incessant voice-over. Other than the hard-boiled narration of film noir, voice-overs are only truly effective if they are about something other than what is happening on screen. In most cases, the voice-over of "16 Years" gives us information that is repeated minutes later in the actual dialogue of the scene. It's a shame as some of the writing matched the graceful nature of the visuals.

VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The picture is clean and the colors are sharp. No complaints.

AUDIO:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and a 2.0 stereo track. The movie is very dialogue-heavy with an emphasis on its soundtrack. It all comes in crisp and clear.

EXTRAS:
The extras include a Behind-the-Scenes featurette featuring interviews with the filmmakers and actors, along with footage of the making of the movie. You'll also get a commentary track from Richard Jobson, storyboards, and trailers for other Tartan releases.

FILM VALUE:
The themes may be similar, but the packaging is different. "16 Years of Alcohol" doesn't have the visual assault at breakneck speeds of "Trainspotting" or "A Clockwork Orange." It does give you a bit more poignancy even though it sometimes beats you over the head with it.