Following the tough world of "This is England", Shane Meadows opts for a much more gentler portrayal of young friendship - all be it with stark edges attached. This film may be (nearly) over before the kettle is boiled, but it still manages to deliver a subtle charm that lives in the memory long after the final scenes.

Tomo arrives in London from Nottingham an emotionally battered teen, and is viciously mugged soon after arrival. A chance encounter with the older - and artier - Marek leads to a friendship built on trust, a shared infatuation for a beautiful girl, and schemes to make fast money. Marek hides Tomo under his bed, feeds him and the pair attempt to steal some clothes for Tomo by stealing a bag of clothes from a nearby launderette. The scene where the two boys give their object of desire (a French waitress) an unconventional journey home raises a few smiles. There is humour in this movie - even if it is fairly dark.

What makes this film a success is in the honesty of the writing. Meadows never allows himself to make some sort of weepy sentimental blockbuster, and the film is allowed to breathe pure oxygen as a result. Tomo's cry of self-loathing is touching, but his rush of youthful adrenalin realism makes him very much a likeable character for the audience. The film is shot in crisp black and white and gives the urban London surroundings a typically gritty realism.

This is a mini triumph but a charming triumph none the less.

8/10

To commemorate the 21st anniversary of 'The Innocents', synth-pop duo Erasure is re-releasing the album - complete with many other erasure goodies (including a DVD release of the popular 1988 Birmingham show with two previously unreleased tracks).

It's hard to believe that 'A Little Respect' from Erasure is over 20 years old. Such a sparkly, infectious and brilliantly written pop song has been covered numerous times, and rarely been away from some radio playlist or pub jukebox in the UK. Like most of erasure's best work, the beauty of 'A Little Respect' lies in the song structure. Whether played acoustically or re-mixed into the clubs, the song survives.

Erasure's success with The Innocents was - at least partially - down to Bell's increasingly pro-active role within the band. Having arrived from an audition that Clarke placed in UK music magazine Melody Maker, Bell had plenty to prove. Unlike Clarke - who was already well known from his role in Depeche Mode and Yazoo - Bell was a former choirboy who spent his teen years playing Abba albums and trying to avoid the bullies in his hometown of Peterborough. What made things extra tough for Bell was his genuine love of Clarke's earlier material, and his infatuation with the man himself.

Following the hit making machine that was "The Circus", erasure sounded even more confident on "The Innocents". Clarke's trademark electro sound did begin to change. Gone were the flashing whooshes of early 80's electro, and in its place a more expansive intricacy. Take "Ship of Fools", a slightly other-worldly dreamscape of innocence and naivety. When Bell sings "Why is life so precious and so cruel?" you believe him. His vocals are soaring but with just enough fragility and longing.

"Chains of Love" is built on the same sort of 'little boy lost' vocal into that made earlier hit 'Oh L'amour' so beguiling..and when the song takes off, erasure almost hit motown-ish heights of joy. Stephen Hague's production also pulls Vince away from long-time friend and producer Flood.

The shine from the arrangements sometimes camouflages Bell's growing confidence to tackle some pretty dark lyrical matter. 'Hallowed Ground' opens with Bell singing "Everybody's intent on killing someone/The streets are closed and there's a kid on the run/The bullets scream out from gun to gun/Everybody's intent on being someone".  Elsewhere, 'Phantom Bride' shines with its synth switching intro, heartfelt lyrics and catchy chorus. Caron Wheeler (who went on to enjoy success with Soul II Soul) appears for backing vocal duty on the joyous - and strangely religious sounding - "Yahoo!".

"Witch in the ditch" sounds like something from a Grimms fairytale, and erasure slow down the pace on the slight but entertaining latter tracks "Imagination" and "Weight of the world".

The Innocents still sounds like a very good electronic pop album that is somehow even more charming for its flaws than demonised by them. Erasure were always (unfairly) compared to The Pet Shop Boys, and have been somewhat ridiculed in recent years for their blandness.

It's sometimes easy to forget that in the late eighties, erasure represented a very infectious, credible and candid alternative to the likes of Stock, Aitken and Waterman and white plastic soul pop. It may seem daft now in more enlightened times, but back then Bell was a constant thorn in the side of Margaret Thatcher's stranglehold on the UK with it's damaging legislation..while politicians were talking still in terms of 'family values' and 'wholesome morals', Bell was dancing around on stage demanding 'A Little Respect' while dressed in a tutu with a plastic snail 'boyfriend'.

Erasure's time may look to have expired, but they are set to return to the studio with Clarke promising a yazoo-esque return to experimental electro. The Duo may find that they can enjoy a re-birth at a time when electronic pop music is once again ruling the roost.

8/10