Nil by Mouth

Nil by Mouth

Directed by Gary Oldman

Produced by SE8 Group

1997128 min6.9 / 10

A harrowing, unflinching portrait of a working-class London family trapped in cycles of addiction, violence, and despair.

The family of Raymond, his wife Val and her brother Billy live in working-class London district. Also in their family is Val and Billy's mother Janet and grandmother Kath. Billy is a drug addict and Raymond kicks him out of the house, making him live on his own. Raymond is generally a rough and even violent person, and that leads to problems in the life of the family.

Questions people ask

  • Is Nil by Mouth sad? Yes, very. More sad than 98% of films.

  • Is Nil by Mouth violent? Yes, very. More violent than 95% of films.

  • Does Nil by Mouth end with hope? No. Less hopeful than 95% of films.

  • Is Nil by Mouth easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 86% of films.

  • Is Nil by Mouth scary? Yes. More frightening than 82% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

60/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity44

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise73

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love65

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Nil by Mouth

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Nil by Mouth

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Nil by Mouth, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Nil by Mouth, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Nil by Mouth, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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