Mister Foe Movie Review

Jamie Bell continues on his zigzag path to stardom, taking yet another oddball role in another oddball movie as he stars in Mister Foe, a Scottish import that's as interesting as it is weird. Teenage Hallam Foe (Bell), still undone by his mother's death two years earlier, spends much of his time in a treehouse in the yard of the loch-side estate where he lives his his father (Ciaran Hines), his sister Lucy (Lucy Holt), and his young and wicked stepmother Verity (Claire Forlani), a woman Hallam suspects may have actually murdered his drowned mother. After all, the wedding came a bit too quickly after the funeral. Sullen, quiet, and prone to making himself up like an Indian scout, Hallam wants nothing to do with his father and "that woman," and when Lucy moves away he feels he can no longer stay at home. After a very unfortunate tryst with the stepmother he claims to hate, Hallam runs away to the city.

Once in town, Hallam lines up a dishwashing job at a big hotel and instantly falls in love with Kate (Sophia Myles), the woman who hired him. Using the spying skills he developed in his treehouse, Hallam is able to peep as Kate has hot assignations with her married boss, and his knowledge of the affair will get him into much hot water, even as he busies himself with trying to solve the mystery of his mother's death once and for all. Did someone put sleeping pills in her coffee and toss her in the loch? He must find out.

Once Hallam does make it into Kate's life and bed, he gets promoted and actually starts to thrive at the hotel, at least until Verity shows up, tries to reason with him, and gets nowhere. The confused and somewhat paranoid Hallam winds himself even tighter, and his decision to try to get Verity out of his life once and for all pushes him close to the brink.

It's hard not to like Jamie Bell, a young actor who clearly chooses his parts with no consideration for their star-making potential (with the possible exception of King Kong). Marketing is not on his mind, and eight years on he's still best known for Billy Elliot. Here he dives deep into Hallam and creates a memorable character, even if it's ultimately impossible to rise above the overly melodramatic script. The world doesn't really need another wicked stepmother, after all.

Still there's plenty of atmosphere, some sex, and a few laughs along the way, so Mister Foe scores a firm three stars, mostly for Bell's good work and his noble career choices.

Aka Hallam Foe.

Mister Foe, meet Mrs. Fum.