Wondrous Oblivion

Brought to cinema screens just in time for the start of the cricket season, is this charming feelgood comedy that has been likened in some circles to Billy Elliot. It’s about a cricket-obsessed Jewish boy growing up in a gossipy stiff-upper-lip London street.

Sam Smith (previously Oliver Twist in a Beeb production) plays the young lad David, who yearns to be good at something and particularly to shine at cricket. His mates don’t rate him at all but his chances get greatly improved when a West Indian family moves in next door, particularly as they immediately build a cricket net in their back garden. They all play cricket, girls and boys alike led by their intelligent cricket-mad father (Lindo). David is in seventh heaven, but has to get past his parents to go and play with them.

This being set in 1960’s London, the boy’s mother (Emily Woof) is initially distrustful of the growing friendship between her son and the family next door and others on the road are worse, exhibiting signs of being downright racist towards them. David however isn’t one for going with such obvious bigotry and will not stop whilst he’s getting to know a nice family and enjoying the chance to learn more about the game from his new cricketing coach.

This is an affectionate and provoking film from Paul Morrison (who wrote and directed ‘Solomon & Gaenor’, a welsh film that was Oscar nominated) and whilst it arguably lacks substance when it comes to the crunch, shying away a bit from the real issues, others would argue that it does get to the real issues since it captures the essence of a real love of cricket and what it is, to really adore how to play the game. WG Grace would be proud and so no doubt would Garfield Sobers since it really gets to the grass roots of the game.

Matt Arnoldi