British director Peter MacKenzie and screen writer Ed Whitmore adapt the 2002 novel of the same name, a quirky, bittersweet, coming-of-age psychodrama by Peter Jinks.

Hallam Foe (Jamie Bell, Jumper) is the 17-year-old son of a wealthy Scottish businessman (Ciarán Hinds, Rome). Still dealing by the death of his mom, Hallam retreats into a world of self-imposed seclusion and becomes a voyeur. He becomes attracted to his new stepmother, Verity (Claire Forlani, Mallrats), but is also repulsed by her because of the loss of his mother. Be begins to believe that she murdered his mother, and then he confronts her with this notion. The plot thickens when this confrontation turns into a sexual encounter. This becomes the impetus for Hallam to flee to Edinburgh. His life turns a corner, however, when he spots — and instantly becomes infatuated with Kate (Sophia Myles, Doctor Who), a local girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to his mother. After he talks her into giving him a porters job in the kitchen of the hotel that she manages, they become romantically involved, ever so gradually, which spells trouble for Hallam’s emotional state.

He runs into more trouble when Kate’s married lover, and a Managing Director at the Hotel, (Jamie Sives, Doctor Who) discovers that Hallam has been spying on Kate from his perch the bell tower of the Hotel where they works. The table is turned when Hallam’s father and stepmother come to see him and this takes Hallam to a breaking point.

This film runs through a series of emotions and sympathies toward Hallam. There were points where I was repulsed by his behavior and other points where I felt sorry for the young man. Jamie Bell did a very good job of being a 17-year-old boy who is confused about his place and the loss of his mother. The first sexual encounter with Kate was especially fine. He gave us a true sense of how a young man would react if a woman was coming onto him and she reminded him of his mother. The overall feel of the movie was rather dark, but that seem to suit it. The fast pace switch between Hallam’s states of well being did have a negative effect on the flow of the movie and made me rather confused from time to time.

I found the complexities of Kate to be fascinating and wanted to understand her character better. During the day, she was a prim and proper Human Resources Manger and at night, she was a woman with deep needs and a hearty sexual appetite.

Overall, the film did a respectable job of giving us the drama that goes with longing and lust along with the age-old Oedipus conflict.

ComicsOnline gives this film 3.5 out of 5 peeps through the window.