‘Nil by Mouth’: Gary Oldman’s gritty debut that broke profanity records
Across his glittering career, Gary Oldman has been considered one of the finest British acting talents to ever grace the screen. His performances in the likes of JFK, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Leon: The Professional and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy have earned widespread acclaim and afforded Oldman the status as a true master of his craft with an Academy Award for ‘Best Actor’ to boot.
Another consequence of Oldman’s reputation in the industry is that he came upon the chance to direct a film and took the opportunity in both hands. Several actors have tried to direct and fallen flat on their faces, but Oldman, handling 1997’s Nil by Mouth, which he also wrote, emulated the likes of Clint Eastwood and Ron Howard in delivering a work of admirable quality.
Nil by Mouth, produced by Oldman, Douglas Urbanski and Luc Besson, is a raw and gritty portrayal of working-class London life. Starring Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles and Ray Winstone and featuring a score written by Eric Clapton, Oldman’s debut unflinchingly dives into themes of violence, addiction and family dysfunction with its many interconnected characters facing personal inner battles of self.
Winstone plays Ray opposite Kathy Burke’s Valerie, Ray’s wife. Ray is a vicious and abusive alcoholic whose violence pulls at the seams of his family members’ wellbeing, most notably Valerie, who suffers his frequent torments, caught on the fence between co-dependent acceptance and hopeful dreams of a better life away from her abuser. The dysfunction of the family is worsened by Ray and Valerie’s son Billy and his addiction to heroin.
Nil by Mouth pulls no punches when it comes to delivering an honest take on working-class British life, with Oldman using his experiences growing up in South London neighbourhoods. This lends the film an unrelenting realism that makes its difficult narrative all the more intense and authentic, with its down-to-earth, profane language and truthful portrayal of domestic violence.
Violent scenes are captured using handheld cameras and natural lighting, giving audiences the experience that they are there with the characters, receiving every blow with them in union. While this creates a disturbing effect, Oldman is also adamant about finding moments of hope and potential for redemption in his characters, mirroring the slings and arrows of human life.
Up until Martin Scorsese’s biographical comedy-drama The Wolf of Wall Street was released in 2013, Oldman’s Nil by Mouth had been the movie with the most swearing, with 428 uses of the word “fuck” according to the Guinness World Records, and 83 uses of “cunt”. Scorsese’s Jordan Belfort biopic, though, took the title from Oldman’s film by delivering 422 uses of the word “fuck” alone and around 715 swear words in total.
Still, Nil by Mouth is an excellent directorial debut by one of the greatest actors of all time. It’s a painful watch, undoubtedly, one that leaves a deep impression long after the credits have rolled, with a raw exploration of addiction and abuse. In delivering such a heart-breaking and traumatic narrative, though, Oldman offers his character the chance to escape through whatever means they can, giving a glimmer of light even amidst the darkness, and in that vein, Oldman’s film is simply one that’s crucial to the history of British cinema.
Check out the trailer below.
