The Guardian, 16 July 1992, by Toby Young. ----------------------------------------------------------- "Dakota Road" (15) is a British production made in 1990, and is kicking off a season at the National Film Theatre of films that have yet to find domestic distributors. Insofar as it has a story, it is about how the awakening sexuality of a 15-year-old girl (Charlotte Chatton) shatters the frail social fabric of a small rural community in Cambridgeshire. In the Faber & Faber book accompanying the film, writer- director Nick Ward says: "I find it very difficult to say what "Dakota Road" is about." And that's the problem. He is trying to say something about the dark side of human sexuality, as well as something about the moral emptiness of contemporary Britain, but it is buried too deep. He hasn't worked out the story and the film drags, despite being only 81 minutes long. As the girl, Charlotte Chatton is suitably sullen and non- communicative, but she doesn't have the sexual allure the role requires. This is partly the fault of the director and the cinematographer - I don't recall seeing an actress so unflatteringly lit. "Dakota Road" contains underage sex, incest, and a little girl witnessing a sex act, but it is so poorly shot it doesn't contain a single sexually-charged moment. The only person to emerge from "Dakota Road" with any credit is Rachel Scott, who plays Chatton's little sister. She was only 10 when this picture was made and had no previous acting experience - she was discovered at a local primary school. Like Macauley Culkin, she has the ability to be completely natural on camera, and she has a wonderfully pixie-like face. She looks guarded and pensive throughout, as well she might. She deserves better than this. ----------------------------------------------------------- Bentley's Bedlam http://www.BetsyDa.com/bedlam.html This website is for information and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to infringe on copyrights held by others.