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The Selfish Giant

Play trailer Poster for The Selfish Giant 2013 1h 31m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 84 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A hyperactive boy (Conner Chapman) and his best friend, a slow-witted youth with an affinity for horses, start collecting scrap metal for a shady dealer.

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The Selfish Giant

The Selfish Giant

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Critics Consensus

Starkly emotional and beautifully directed, The Selfish Giant uses a lovely script and some powerful performances to present some of the best that modern British cinema has to offer.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator 09/05/2018
It never feels particularly fresh, but it does feel real and true, is superbly performed, and it does pack quite an emotional punch. I had to gather myself afterwards, and I'm still gathering myself, and may be gathering myself for some time to come. Go to Full Review Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk 09/06/2017
5/5
Strong, beautiful and honest film-making. Go to Full Review Charlie Lyne Little White Lies 08/18/2015
Though they share the same title, director Clio Barnard's bewitching follow-up to The Arbor bears little cosmetic similarity to the fluorescent idyll of Oscar Wilde's 19th century children's fable. Go to Full Review Tom Cassidy Common Sense Media 01/25/2022
3/5
Director Clio Barnard has delivered a movie that's excellently made but is in the end maybe a bit too suffocating to enjoy. Go to Full Review Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site 02/27/2021
With great empathy for her characters, Barnard locates her movie in a bleak, postindustrial landscape. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/07/2019
3/4
An assured and disciplined work, raw like a festering wound, and devastatingly blunt, establishing Barnard as one of the strongest voices in British independent cinema. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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r96 s 07/09/2020 Very much enjoyed this, from a film point of view of course given the dark and saddening tone of the story. 'The Selfish Giant' is a gritty drama involving two kids who get mixed up in the wrong world. At the beginning I was worried it was going to turn into a cliché-filled, overly stereotypical tale of less well-off families. It does in small doses, but feels legitimate for the majority. Cast-wise it isn't amazing, though it's impossible not to give praise to youngsters Conner Chapman (Arbor) and Shaun Thomas (Swiftly) as they give very respectable performances, especially when taking into account the tricky nature of role and premise. Sean Gilder is good as Kitten, while some of the others are solid enough. It's both impactful and heartbreaking, especially across the third act. Recommended viewing. See more Laurie S @Karlwinters 07/06/2019 It's basically a story about children morons bourne from parent morons who are so thick they can't be educated so have to earn a living from thievery. The entire community are also kretins, making their livings from thieving. I had no empathy for these lowlifes whatsoever but it wasn't a bad film. See more Nefasto R @Nefasto 01/04/2018 A pearl. A very sad pearl, but a pearl nevertheless. See more 06/18/2017 Gritty, funny, sad and some very believable performances from the young cast - good work See more 11/06/2016 In a word: harrowing. See more 04/08/2016 What an incredible film. I'm speechless. See more Read all reviews
The Selfish Giant

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Cast & Crew

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Clio Barnard

Director

Conner Chapman

Arbor

Shaun Thomas

Swifty

Sean Gilder

Kitten

Steve Evets

"Price Drop" Swift

Lorraine Ashbourne

Mary

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The Selfish Giant

The Selfish Giant (2013) The Selfish Giant (2013) The Selfish Giant (2013) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A hyperactive boy (Conner Chapman) and his best friend, a slow-witted youth with an affinity for horses, start collecting scrap metal for a shady dealer.
Director
Clio Barnard
Producer
Tracy O'Riordan
Screenwriter
Clio Barnard
Production Co
Film4, British Film Institute (BFI), Moonspun Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$10.5K
Runtime
1h 31m
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