If there has ever been proof that actor David Thewlis is overlooked far too often by the Hollywood machine, it resides in the Mike Leigh film, “Naked.” Up until recently, I had only heard of the film, but never had the opportunity to check it out for myself. But as is the way of Criterion (the Gods of DVD releases), they have released a special edition of “Naked.” This is now 307 they have under their belt, and let me tell you, when it’s a Criterion release, you can bank on its quality. In the “Naked”, Thewlis starred as ‘Johnny’, a 27-year old British man full of anger and resentment for just about everything and everyone. He blames the government for his impoverished life and considers himself to be better than everyone around him. He doesn’t have a job, and thinks that anyone who does is simply buying into a flawed system. After a chance sexual encounter with a woman that turns violent and is accused of rape. Rather than face the music for actions he doesn’t consider wrong, he runs away… right into the home of an ex-girlfriend (Leslie Sharpe).

Now, where most of us might be grateful for being taken in off the street, Johnny opts to attack her for her lifestyle, which having a job has improved since they parted ways. He then turns his attention to her roommate (Katrin Cartlidge). She is a burn out of the first order, living a drug addicted life (if you can call that living) and wants nothing more than to be the objects of someone’s affection. Johnny gives her what she needs, but again turns towards his violent side. Once he leaves them, he wanders throughout the rest of the film, meeting up with various characters also spending their nights on the streets.

On the surface, this might seem like a fairly simplistic plot, but in “Naked” it is not so much the tale as the way it is told. Thewlis, who most mainstream audiences might remember as Professor Lupin from “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, delivers a mesmerizing performance throughout the whole of this film. He is in no way a likable character, and you are really forced to question what happened in his life to bring to such depths. I’ve seen versions of Johnny on the streets of Dallas. People who rant and rave about how much they know everything. I’ve even known a few of these people in my everyday life. Admittedly, I’ve even found myself going through bouts of anger where I think the whole world is out to get me, the government stinks, and that everyone around me is inferior. As I’ve grown older I’ve come to realize only the second one is true. The last one was brought on by my own feelings of inferiority, and while I didn’t take these feelings out on the women in my life with physical violence, I certainly delivered my share of verbal abuse.

So even though I cannot identify with Johnny where the level of his own paranoia and fear has taken him, I can certainly see what I might have become had I not made the personal choice to change. My wife certainly appreciates it.

But this is not to say that the film is Thewliss’ alone. Just as effective in their roles were Leslie Sharpe and Katrin Cartlidge. Sharpe portrays one of the calmest characters in the film and for that reason, she actually stands out. It is a solid performance. And Cartlidge is absolutely wonderful, even though her character is such an incredible loser. She creates a depth you usually don’t get from your typical movie drug addict. It is a shame she passed away a couple of years ago (from complications due to pneumonia) as she was definitely an actress of note.

The Criterion DVD is as I expected, very well produced. Its 2 discs house a beautifully restored transfer, which actually succeeds in making this bleak and gritty film look even more so. And as for special features, well… you’ll find a very informative commentary by Leigh, Thewlis and Cartlidge, obviously recorded a while back. There is also a conversation with director Neal Labute (“In the Company of Men”) where he shares his thoughts on the film.

I was also quite pleased to see a very unusual feature, which came in the form of a British TV series called “The Art Zone.” In it, novelist Will Self talks to Mike Leigh, but they are sitting in a bar and so the conversation is very light and unrehearsed. It is similar in tone to Jon Favreau’s terrific “Dinner for Five” series. And if you wanted proof of Thewlis’ talents as a character actor, you have to check out the short film “The Short and Curlies.” This is included in the set and features Thewliss as an extremely nerdy character trying to pick up a girl. Finally, there is a 16 page booklet which feature essays by Derek Malcolm (Film Critic for the London Evening Standard) and Amy Taubin (Contributing Editor for Film Comment & Sight and Sound).

Even though there are little bits of comedy found in “Naked”, is not a feel good film by any stretch of the imagination. The humor is dark at best, and there are no sympathetic characters. There really isn’t even much of a straightforward plot, as it instead it offers an intense, gritty and engrossing character study.

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Starring: David Thewlis, Leslie Sharpe, Katrin Cartlidge, Peter Wright
Extras: Audio commentary by director Mike Leigh and actors David Thewlis and Katrin Cartlidge, Exclusive new video introduction by filmmaker Neil LaBute, The Conversation, a BBC program with author Will Self interviewing Leigh, Original theatrical trailer, New essay by film critic Derek Malcolm
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 2.0
Studio: Criterion
Release Date: 9/20/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Naked: The Criterion Collection an A.