She’s Lost Control: Morley’s Semi-Autobiographical Drama is Riddled with Clichès
Sometimes it can be tricky to translate autobiographical novels to the screen, the truisms of life not necessarily translating from experience to page to screen. This is very much the case with 7 Miles Out, based on Carol Morley’s own experiences growing up in Stockport during the late 70s into the 80s. Adapted from her book of the same name, this might be based on Morely’s life but despite a grungy realism to the setting the film is overwhelmingly familiar in its exploration of working class, northern English life and the problems that beget growing up poor amidst tragedy.
Beginning in 1977, Ann Westbourne (Initially played by Amelie Hughes) idolizes her distant, chain smoking but subtly loving father Ronald (Aiden Gillen). She’s an inquisitive young girl who often interviews her family members in a radio show style and keeps the tape recordings. One day her father drops her off at school and never returns after committing suicide, which sends Ann’s mother Bryn (Gemma Whelan) into a depressive spiral causing the rest of the family forks off on different paths fuelled by grief, hardship and uncertainty. Her brother Scott (Kaper Hilton-Hille) heads off to London to become a music journalist and her sister Susan (Hannah McIver) opts to move away and settle down. Respite comes for Ann in the form of classmate Helen Ash (first played by Daisy-Mai Foden), an equally lonely girl with an alcoholic mother with whom she forms an extremely close bond. Fast-forward and Ann (Lucy Halliday) and Helen-Ash (Leila Entwistle) are still in Stockport and still on the fringes of society. Their favourite band Joy Division are playing in Manchester and they simply must get tickets, though they can’t afford them. The film morphs from here into a typical coming of age tale of alcoholism, wishful aspirations and self-destruction in an attempt to forge some semblance of a normal life.
There’s a real sense of awkwardness in construction, performances and the film’s attempt at offering something authentic to its real life story. When the two central protagonists grow up there’s a noticeable and jarring feeling that these two are acting. The dialogue is unnatural and cringey in the way we recognize rebellious characters, all sweary and cutting but the script hangs in the actors mouths and each delivery feels written. Morley certainly knows how to direct, she imparts the dreary landscape with monotone hues that match the dour atmosphere but she drags the story well beyond its capabilities. At over two hours the film really outstays its welcome and loses sight of its main focus. It can’t decide if it wants to be a poignant rumination on grief, a comedic hang-out movie or a story of grim desolation. In the end it’s more of a blandly spiced soup of all three. The obsession with Joy Division also feels overegged and predictable, it’s ‘ard up norf and Ian Curtis is a genius and all these sentiments that echo the typical throwback British coming-of-age.
While Morely is clearly being sincere and there’s nothing to be taken away from what must have been a very traumatic time in her life it may have been best to leave 7 Miles Out on the page. This is a story that feels like it works better as a novel but the bluntness of its typical teenage angst and unremarkable conclusion turn the film into an unwelcome rendition of the greatest hits.
Reviewed on October 18th at the 2026 London BFI Film Festival (70th edition) Official Competition programme. 127 Minutes.
★★/☆☆☆☆☆
