The film opens with non-diegetic sound of a life support machine, automatically signalling macro elements of Physical ability/disability. This is then followed by short close-up transitions of a leg and an arm. Due to the specific focus with this character we become aware that he’d the protagonist. Next we cut to him drawing a fish, this than cuts to a fish tank. The fish within this film is symbolic through out and not only encoded several meanings but highlights some themes such as entrapment again shown through out film. We are next drawn to a prop of a skull; this itself connotes death again hinting at events to happen. The lighting starts to flicker and the non-diegetic sound of the life support machine come back. The sound of running can be heard. This cuts to a close-up of the dad who appears to be wearing a gas mask. In the background we can hear the young boy say ‘the switch won’t turn on’. From this we identify he is familiar with the equipment and therefore suggests he is a young carer showing his class/status. There are currently about 175,000 young carers in the UK alone.
We are next shown a bunch of youths outside in which the low right hand of the camera we can make out somebody on the floor. The others look around, from there expressions we become aware some sort of assault is taking place and that it’s pretty much an everyday event. The leader who we identify with through Mise-en-scene of gang’s attire which is stereotypical of ‘youths’ as they are seen wearing tracksuits, trainers, earrings as well as chains. These shots are broken down by frequent cut backs to the young carer, showing the difference between two set of youths that are around within the contemporary UK. An Ariel view tracks the youths as they head towards a bunch of flats. Meanwhile we see an elderly woman using a phone box but it appears to be broken. As we watch the youths approach the young lady we expect some sort of conflict however, they take the rubbish she is holding and start walking into the street and chuck it on the road. This shows they are not conforming to the ideology ‘Put your rubbish in a bin’ or even ‘don’t litter’. As we switch back to the carer we watch him place his dad in a wheelchair and puts headphones in which classical music is playing, possibly because he doesn’t want him listening. The youths knock on the carer’s door; he opens it but looks slightly hesitant to let them in. The youths walk into the living room and greet the carer’s dad, which is a surprise as they youth’s of today have a negative presence. Whilst the youths are rapping the carer leaves the room and heads towards his dad’s room, a series of cuts track him as he gets the urinal. The close-up shots convey him as being ashamed; as he walks down hallway the gang leader suddenly exits the door in front. Leaving the carer embarrassed leading him to dropping the urinal. The carer bends down to mop it up when the leader grabs some tissue and starts to help, showing he has respect for him and feels sorry for the carer. Here for the first time we witness a soft side to the touch guy.
We next see the youth’s including the carer talking about sex a typical issue affecting teenagers today. From this we establish they have an open atmosphere. As they leave they give respect to the carer all except the leader, showing he is only nice when he is alone as he has to show his authority or will be shown as weak and doesn’t want to loose face within the gang.
The carer is left waiting until his dads nurse turns up. The dad while waiting says to his son ‘I don’t want you to be late again’ not only does this convey the dad as having authority, showing he conforms to the ‘Dad’ archetype but sows him to be needy as he has become fully dependent on his son. Parallel negatives show him open then close the door. He is left waiting in the hallway. Issues such as conscious, responsibility and duty all come into play here. A medium shot is used as we watch the carer drop to the floor, through this shot the Mise-en-scene of the set design, the wallpaper in particular appears to be chipped. The young boy starts picking at it, showing its routine for him, again showing entrapment and frustration as he wants to be a normal teenager and go out with his mates. But the responsibilities he ahs forces him to be compelled to his dads needs. Within Antonio’s breakfast a mother figure seems to be absent, this again heightens the pressure on the young boy as there is no one else to fall on. This shows an ideological view ‘not enough is being done to help young carers’.
We next witness the nurse arriving casually, and then changing into her white uniform, indicating she doesn’t want to be shown as a carer. Showing her class/ status to be similar to the carer and how they both feel demeaned. As the nurse opens the door the young boy rushes out the house. This cuts back to the old woman taking money from the telephone in which the youth used just after the left. The old lady is breaking away from the stereotypical innocent old lady, bringing themes such as appearance Vs reality to light.
This cuts back to the fish tank; the prop of a diver used within this scene again encodes meaning similar to the skull used earlier. It is at a leaning position possibly to show its dying. This is ironic as the life support machine switches off. This cuts to a medium shot of the nurse asleep showing neglect. This cuts to a hand held shot of the young boy looking up at the flat. The next shot is of the man trying to turn the switch on but in the process the fish tank gets broken. The young boy feels something isn’t right and runs home. This cuts to him at the flat showing an elusion of time showing the urgency of the situation. As he opens the door he runs into the living room. A medium shot shows the nurse massaging the dad’s foot and in the left hand screen we can see the broken tank along with the fish slopping about. Showing not only is the young boy himself ‘Like a fish out of water’ with doing anything besides caring but its also metaphorical for what just happened to his father. Through the young boy’s paranoia we become aware not only is the father dependent on the young boy but he is with his father as he hasn’t got much of a social life.
