Pure belongs to Eden, a remarkably strong child actor, and Deadwood's Molly Parker, broken and affecting as his sweaty, gear-crazy mum.
We hate to say it, but we can't find anywhere to view this film.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Los Angeles Times by Carina Chocano
This is a conventional, well-acted, English working-class drama in the familiar realist style, but it does not attain anywhere near the level of artistry and imagination of a Ken Loach film.
The film belongs to Eden, who creates a winning personality out of a combination of vulnerability, resourcefulness, toughness and fragility. It's an outstanding juvenile performance.
Real kudos goes to Molly Parker, searing as a heroin-addicted mother immobilized by the death of her husband, and to a poised little boy named Harry Eden, who's astonishingly good as the 10-year-old son desperately trying to hold her to the straight and narrow.
A small but achingly authentic piece of kitchen-sink realism, this might never have made it across the pond without babe du jour Keira Knightley, excellent in a supporting role as a smacked-out waitress. But the real wonder is Parker, whose vulnerability and wraithlike beauty are devastating.
The Hollywood Reporter by Kirk Honeycutt
Pure's lively and colorful cinematic style turns a "downer" story about grim lives and desperation into a powerful love story.
TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh
MacKinnon's film draws on his past as a youth worker and features a standout performance from first-time performer Harry Eden.
Portland Oregonian by Marc Mohan
It's not without one or two missteps, but remains likely the most impressive juvenile acting you'll see this year.
Pure loses a bit of its nerve in the home stretch, but Eden's unforgettable performance alone makes it a compelling portrait of a smart young boy forced to grow up way too fast.
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
One of the movie's intriguing qualities is that its horrors take place within a world that is not as cruel and painful as we know it could be.