The Naughty Room

The Naughty Room is a beautifully well judged balance of foul-mouthed whimsy and genuine tragedy, telling the tale of a 20-year-old slacker (David Egan) living with his mum and lost in a fug of partying and drugs years after the death of his father. A discarded wank-sock brings him into contact with a neighbour he never knew he had: Todd, for years kept indoors by his mother for an indiscretion only revealed later in the film. Over time the pair's bond deepens and redemption beckons. It's a strikingly individual vision for debut feature director Cosmo Jarvis (best-known for YouTube breakout hit Gay Pirates): a little naive (the dovetailing narratives are a touch too convenient, and the voiceover is overused), but beguilingly put together and performed by an amateur cast and crew, all on a budget of only £8,000.