A slow-burner, focused on the plodding aspects of industrial living, and the easy philandering of amoral characters, bored of their daily lot, seeking excitement in risks taken. The initially cool and amoral character, Adam, builds as we learn more about him, revealing an immoral, selfish, narcissistic and abusive person seemingly content moping, meandering, and moving around from one episode of sexual promiscuity to another. At the core of the story is an 'accident' that occurs with one of his previous partners, and the indifference he feels about what happened, gradually shifting to guilt and doubt as the fate of the accused unfolds. As we might expect, he dresses his cowardice and shame as something courageous and honest, but this has no impact on the outcome, and he defaults to his nomadic philandering and disappears after one more brief reflection

A sluggish and grim movie that has a decent story to tell but gets lost amongst all the removing of clothes.

Not a movie as much as a suite of obsessive fantasies that are raw, crude and sexual in nature from a sadist. Disgusting and useless piece of dirt by a sad and dirty director.

Definitely didn't rile me up as much as I suspected it would. McGregor and Swinton are pretty sharp as usual and the film does exude the atmosphere of seaside Scotland. Those attributes carry the project.

Strong performances from all four leads, does not offset an unsettling storyline with a disappointing ending that more closely mirrors the reality of today's society than anything Hollywood could come up with.

This was a hard movie to watch. Other than the boy I don't know that there was on character you cared even a little bit about. The characters were all pretty disgusting. It was about 90 minutes but seemed so much longer. So why did I watch it? David Mackenzie, the director, did one of the year's best flims, Hell or High Water. This is the third movie of his I watched and it is interesting to see how he has evolved. Again I thankful for rental dvd Netflix who has such a catalog of movies.

Dour Scottish erotic drama worth watching for Ewan McGregor's performance alone. Perfectly recreated depiction of 1950s Glascow and the River Clyde. The film in overstriving for effect leaves the viewer feeling detached. Where does the title come from? Still baffled by that. The barge (which is actually owned by Ella, not her husband) is named the Atlantic Eve. Maybe this gives a clue. Joe is very passive in his approach to women, even though he beds every single (or married!) one of them he comes across. More interesting sides to his character are not really explored, particularly his writing. We see him reading a lot but at some stage has given up on being a successful writer and throws his typewriter into the Clyde. One of his girlfriends who was supporting him while he tried to write his novel accused him of not writing popular stuff, I would have loved to have learnt more about that side of his life. "I Made Some Custard" It was during that scene I actually laughed, yes LAUGHED. Joe is sitting around trying to write his novel when his girlfriend, who has been supporting him for the last eight months, arrives home from work and accuses him of wasting his day while she's been bringing home the bacon. She asks him what he's been doing all day and Joe (straight-faced) replies he made some custard! McGregor is wonderful as he tells her that, perfect expression - I could imagine the actors bursting out laughing as the camera stopped rolling. Anyhow what happens after that sees our hero at his least passive! Controversially, his use of violence here is portrayed as possibly part of a sex game. I got the impression the director doesn't allow Cathie to be the total victim but we are not sure how far she is a willing partner or not. Joe doesn't console her afterwards or follow-up for her pleasure or tend to her. This mix of violence and sex is no doubt disturbing but their relationship lasted 16 more months and Cathie kicked him out in the end and they parted amicably, both agreeing their time together was up. Director's attitude unclear. The score by David Byrne is very appropriate for the mood, with the sound of the cello coming out underneath all the broody goings-on.

David Mackenzie seems to have a knack for coming up with some genuinely unique concepts but tends to have hard time translating his ideas into an effective movie. This is a bleak, humorless and and unsatisfying experimental film does manage to build intensity thanks to the talents of both Ewan McGregor and Tilda Swinton. The only reason this film manages to rank this extra half-star is in thanks to their performances that overcome what can only be called a cinematic mistake.

I have come to know of Emily Mortimer because of Young Adam. Watched it because of Ewan McGregor.

71% Lacked any real impact, in its conclusion. Yeah, McGregor's character is a scumbag loner who doesn't take responisbility for his actions, so what, you don't care for the guy. It was a good preformance though.

A Fabulous Scottish dark movie, too underrated i must say

Well-crafted film with strong performances and a pervading, restrained sadness that echoes its Beat heritage--A patient, thoughtful film for patient, thoughtful viewers.. Haunting film noir!!

Sensitive well-handled drama that's very thoughtful offering realism above any satisfying conclusions.

Tilda Swinton is just phenomenal inside. And the feature successfully depicts the colorless, chilly mood story backdrop as well. Which, however, turns out to be too pale & dull at the same time.

A story of lost love and lustful sex disguised as romance, Mackenzie does not aim to please in the conventional sense with his uneasy work in Young Adam, an adaptation of Alexander Trochi's debut novel. Its representation of a marginalised life widely lacks embellishments and this approach very often makes film feel nothing but uncomfortable and cold. Yet, it still feels daring and ambitious in its brutal dealing with themes of deep internal conflicts, and Ewan McGregor's performance figures among his personal best.

Dark British drama written and directed by David Mackenzie based on the 1954 novel of the same name by Alexander Trocchi is not something to watch for happy occasions. That is why I decided to watch it early in the morning when everyone is asleep. The film is set in Scotland in 1954 where shiftless young drifter Joe Taylor works on a barge which operates from Glasgow, on the River Clyde. He shares the cramped on-board living quarters with its operators, Les and Ella Gault, and their young son Jim. One day Joe and Les pull the body of a young woman, naked except for a petticoat, from the water. Via flashbacks, we learn Joe knew her, and scenes involving his relationship with office worker Cathie Dimly are juxtaposed with those set in the present time... It is very cleverly constructed film and holds the attention to the end, and the naturalistic acting has its own, considerable, power. Tilda Swinton's performance was outstanding and Ewan McGregor had no need for his easy charm - it was tough, it was rough... but both of them were perfect choice for a depressing film exuding hopelessness and inviting us to pity the characters! There was no desire to share in their tragic condition - the atmosphere was always in the mood of "they deserved it". Even when the storytelling looks disjointed, it was a wonderful job from David Mckenzie deliberately jumping back and forth in time without warning, so that the meaning of events and the connections among them emerge retrospectively. Created mood of unease and dislocation follows creepingly and persisting even after certain crucial mysteries are solved. The understated score (by David Byrne) was just adding to the whole experience of male narcissism, as expressed through erotic need. The camera work in this film is something many should learn from - precise and visually eye catching. Recommended for a quiet morning or night!

A good film but a bit too much jumping around with the timeline at times making it confusing to follow. At times it did seem slow and monotonous but the story was very good and also very disturbing.

Horrible, yet haunting.

Not a great movie, but worth seeing. Strong acting performances from all the main characters, sensational setting that pulls the viewer in and surrounds the audience like a think english fog, until you feel just how lost McGregor's character has become.

Don't watch this movie. It's wildly misogynistic and the protagonist is a detestable twat.