I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Renting this DVD in 2010, the film encapsulated the decade of the noughties in all its extreme materialism, consumerism, and negation of personal relationships. To begin with, I thought the film was going to be too depressing and overly precious in style and content, but as the themes developed, the intricacies and subtleties of character and plot wove carefully into a seamless whole, and the result was a satisfying, if excruciatingly cynical, survey of London society at the beginning of the 21st century. As it is necessarily a work of fiction, and not a reality show, the characters were allowed their melodrama, such as Penelope Cruz playing a prostitute dying of cancer, inexpertly 'helped' in her distress by a wonderfully subtle performance by Rhys Ifans as a social worker. Some of the darkest scenes in this dark, dark story, depicted the state of the social work system and its inefficient, uncaring way of managing those in need of the service - a scathing critique worthy of Dickens. In many ways, this film worked like a novel - it had a beginning, middle, and end; the structure was deliberate and meticulous, the style perfected, and the whole brought together by a superb cast of actors. Kristin Scott-Thomas is, to me, one of the best British actresses ever; she can play any part with subtlety and nuance and express the minutest detail of emotion with a change in her eye expression, or a slight movement of her mouth. She is painfully affecting as the ignored and bored wife, shopping expensively to no purpose, neglecting her son because she has neglected herself, feeling frustrated, and considering breast implants to restore her self-esteem (a knock at the prevalence of cosmetic surgery in present society). Her performance, understated, with more expression than dialogue, presages her Oscar-worthy acting in 'I Have Loved You So Long'.Having just seen Damien Lewis in a bravura performance as Alceste on the London stage in 'The Misanthrope' - a brilliant re-working of Moliere's play by Martin Crimp - I could see the origins of what he brought to the character of Alceste in the way he played Marcus in this film. All Marcus really wanted was to play the guitar in a band, not waste his life in the corporate world of high legal protection of privileged and corrupt professionals.Ben Chaplin, Ralph Fiennes (playing himself as usual, but effectively), Ian Holm, and Harriet Walter, were all equally good and as the disparate characters weave in and out of each others' lives, the ensemble piece comes together in a moving and impressive drama. I was not sure about the redemption ending, but maybe Martha Fiennes felt the film was just too deeply dark not to have some kind of cathartic closing. After all, Dickens does the same and we love him for that. So you will love this film. Stay with it: you will not be disappointed.

It is a shame that critics have buried alive this wonderful film when at the same time they praise so many repetitive, stereotypical productions. It is a brave, innovative movie with great acting, intelligent, witty plot set in a contemporary setting and fabulous stylish photography. It features controversial themes of today (juvenile crime, alienation, corruption) and realistic, multi-dimensional characters that evolve and grow as the film progresses. Moreover, despite its multiple thread storyline, the plot has an Aristotelian nearly perfect structure that so many contemporary films lack. It is puzzling that it took so long for this film to be released (and it is a very limited release), and even more puzzling that it has been welcomed with such animosity by the professional film critics. It just shows that one cannot trust them when choosing which film to go and see.

This film is about the lives of several individuals who seem unconnected to each other, but in the end everyone is in fact connected to each other and play a part in the final catastrophe.This film is stylishly made. The way that the story is told reminds me of Babel which I watched several days ago. The story telling is effective and gripping. As the film goes along, every individual's connection with each other becomes clear. Everything falls into place with time. Despite the slow pace, it does not seem boring at all. In fact, it gives us time to digest all the information that is given.Acting by the cast is excellent, particularly Kristin Scott Thomas and Penelope Cruz. Kristin Scott Thomas is a frustrated mother who destresses herself by being a shopaholic. The minimalistic house she resides in also adds to the atmosphere that she is trapped in a bare castle. Penelope Cruz is a single mother who is battling with cancer. Her performance is also excellent.I am also amazed by how the filmmakers actually got footage of a female breast being cut open for breast augmentation surgery. It looks too realistic to be fake!

I had the unique chance of watching this movie at it's midnight premiere at Cannes, and this engaging story made the evening even more complete. Chromophobia is a depiction of how several upper-class Brits have become so obsessed with material things and their careers that they have become completely detached from the bare necessities: love, professional integrity, friendship and even their own children. Each of the characters will betray one of those ideals, and they will see their lives and relationships come crashing down. But while most of the movie is alienating, depressing and leaves you almost begging for some relief (it is there, you will laugh occasionally), in the end there is redemption: not in a glorious comeback or victory, but in the simple dignity of picking up the pieces and carrying on with a brave face. The train station scene is especially impressive, showing the sudden determination and loyalty in the main characters when faced with the ruin of their lives. Both chilling and warming: this is one solid piece of British drama.