This is Not a Love Song

Petty thieves Spike and Heaton are the most sorrowful pair you could imagine. Two solitary losers who just rough their way through life. Probably the only positive thing about their impoverished existence is the fact that they have each other. The inscrutable, taciturn Heaton is boss; his behaviour fills people with terror. In contrast, Spike is like a distracted child who needs care and protection. When Spike commits a terrible crime, Heaton decides to stand by him. Together they attempt to run away both from the police and a posse of furious farmers bent on revenge. Thus begins a true manhunt. The pair try to make their way out of the dark forests, unfamiliar rivers and treacherous moors of northern England, hoping to come across some larger town where they can mingle with the crowds. But there is no town to be seen and the fugitives begin to run out of steam. They sense that the farmers won’t give up until they are both dead. When Heaton injures his leg, the roles are reversed – now it’s the tough Heaton who needs Spike’s help. But the farmers are dangerously close and Spike has to decide whether to remain with his injured friend or continue on to the safety of the big city… The talented director, using all the benefits of a digital camera, first-class actors and an atmospheric, gloomy landscape as the third main “character” in the story, has succeeded in making a thrilling drama about love, fear and hatred.