Bye-Child (2003) User Reviews

Beautiful, haunting, bleak

[Fiona-39 · 10/10 · 23 February 2005]

This film starts with the sound of heavy breathing and the camera tracking backwards and forwards, keeping the bright white moon in sight. This opening sets up the key visual and aural themes of the film: heavy breathing, the inability to express oneself in articulate speech, the inadequacy of speech and then the moon - symbol of ancient pagan belief and the "miracle" of modernity, progress and science. In the midst of these philosophical motifs is a breathtakingly sad story of child abuse and sexual violence, handled with admirable restraint and sympathy. Wonderful poetic moments too - the close-up on the kettle reaching boiling point or the shock of the final revelation of the child's face. An amazing achievement by Mclaverty, and a film that speaks volumes in a very sparse, pared down, controlled use of sound and image.

excellent

[gazzastrip · 10/10 · 14 February 2004]

The film is thought provoking and moving. As events quietly unfold, you are drawn in to the helpless position experienced by the woman and child. Through guilt she continues to care for her father, through fear she cannot seek help from the world, they are transfixed by the moon.

Very meaningful

[jimbopjoe · 10/10 · 7 January 2004]

Great movie, very deep and emotional. I like the theme running in the background of this with the man landing on the moon thing that is on T.V, about how man can spend billions of dollars on sending men to the moon and yet there isn't enough money to give this family in the movie councelling so that the child can live a better life even though being rejected by the old man (her father or the mothers father?) also that the child has been so isolated that she isn't any better off than if she was sent to the moon.