Incest, especially between a father and daughter, is not an easy subject to tackle, but actor Tim Roth, here making his directorial debut, has done so with great economy and style.

Set in England's lonely Devon countryside, we eavesdrop on what appears to be a happy family newly transplanted from London. The brooding adolescent son Tom soon stumbles upon a family secret that hurls him even more deeply into confusion and depression. The birth of a new baby sister complicates matters. When Tom sets out to get proof of what he only suspects, the story spirals to a shocking conclusion.

"What really fuelled my desire to make this film was the way it dealt with incest," says Roth. "It's such an important subject and one that affects so many people and one that isn't dealt with honestly on film." OL