Tim Roth on "Meantime"

Interview with actor Tim Roth on his contribution in "Meantime" (1983) directed by Mike Leigh.

[@simonmoore2380]

For a number of years in the 1980s I only knew Tim Roth and Gary Oldman from “Meantime”. When later on I heard their names mentioned as big Hollywood stars I couldn’t believe it was them. I just thought “really?? What, Coxie and Colin??” 😄

[@colonialstraits1069]

I just watched Meantime last night. One of the few Mike Leigh films I hadn’t seen. His performance as Colin was incredible.

[@staycalmnevapor8]

Anyone could play that role, absolutely anyone.

[@barrybarnes96]

Same here. Roth doing the noisy mouth breathing really sold the character.

[@barrybarnes96]

@@staycalmnevapor8 Pretty sure that was what the guy who didn't get the role said after the casting appointment didn't work out for him and he went out to become a full time waiter.

[@MrBobchat]

@@staycalmnevapor8 You're dead wrong. Gary Oldman couldn't have done it. Gary couldn't even play the role he had. Gary was a caricature where the rest were actual characters. Colin wasn't as easy a role as it might look

[@GazaStripped]

@@staycalmnevapor8 you couldn't , i certainly couldn't, neither could my next door neighbour or yours, so you're wrong.

[@gavinallan7897]

This guy is such a brilliant actor ..so natural.. then as hes went on just produces time after time great performances..Check him out in lesser known movies..Little Odessa..Murder in the heartland..And more..For me the greatest actor from 1979 onwards though greatest is subjective..But when you hear him talk of his involvement in movies from low budget creative projects to working with directors like Quinton Tarantino..You just know hes the real deal..amazing

[@angiemarren8231]

I totally agree :)

[@ivorrollo9268]

Meantime was a brilliant and under - rated film - loved it in 1983 as a 13 year old and watched it yesterday and it was even better. Loved the music, storyline and amazing acting - High Rise Britain in the 1980s

[@mrknobchopps]

Underrated by who?

[@williamweb9782]

​@@mrknobchopps Personally I don't think that the film is revered by the public in the way that it should be. Because it is 40 years old it has been missed by younger generations which is a real shame.

[@normanmorrow4897]

A quite brilliant film, love it. This was such a great watch, thanks!!

[@moviescinema958]

Meantime is literally one of my favorite films. Thank you very much for the upload. Such amazing anecdotes and what an amazing process.

[@MrBobchat]

Does Gary Oldman spoil it a bit for you? He did for me.

[@LostwaveObsession]

@@MrBobchat I was really on edge every second his character was shown. I think it was just that feeling of not knowing when/if he'd kick off. But I think that was a good thing I really do and he was believeable I thought. There was a kid at my school just like that character. I avoided him if at all possible!

[@MrBobchat]

@@LostwaveObsession Really? Every time he was on screen it just pulled me out of my emersion. I thought it was really over acted and melodramatic where the other players were being naturalistic. I know people will have different opinions but I will always think his performance was a mistake and should have been done better or by a beter or different actor. Afaic he was a league below the rest of the cast and had no business in this film. Awful, just awful

[@leevww]

This was a seminal film for me.. An exceptional film, well acted and directed

[@pk3776]

A fantastic film, a fantastic cast….. A British classic 💯

[@GavTatu]

Down and Out in Paris and London is an awesome book to read !!!

[@Howling73]

Love Tim. What a great interview to watch just after seeing Meantime. He's a great actor and being very modest at the end. Thanks for uploading 👏🏻

[@richardfowler5163]

One of the most honest, down to earth interviews I've ever seen. What a fantastic watch and a massive kudos to Tim Roth here. Used to have 'Meantime' on VHS years ago. Not seen it since those days. I remember not being impressed by it at the time until I watched it again last night on this platform. It's actually comedy genius with a massive over indulgence of parody and poverty during the Thatcher years. It's a great watch on how the UK used to back in those days and it pretty much nailed it. Prefer Alan Clarke's work though.

[@dicopper7180]

interesting interview, thanks for uploading

[@rael1999]

Brilliant actor. Remember as a young lad being blown away by his performances in 'Made in Britain' and 'Meantime'. I remember watching 'Pulp Fiction' thinking to myself he's as good if not better than anyone in that film. He's done bucket loads of films since then, but I still don't think he gets the credit for just how good an actor he is. How naturally good he forms and plays his characters. He comes over very well too. Down to earth lad, just chatting away as though he's in the pub with his mates. No sign of any ego at all, like a few people I could mention who simply can't act for toffee and they just play the same character no matter what film they are in. But the acting profession seems to make big stars of people like that. Give me actors like Roth, Eddi Marsan and Toby Jones any day of the week, exceptional talents.

[@crimedramadvdhotspot7720]

Little Odessa & Gridlocked 🤟🤒

[@williamweb9782]

Marsan is so ordinary he is extraordinary!

[@annewrenn5014]

What a great story. Real talent discovered in a most unconventional way. Tim Rothe, like Gielgud, acts because of his passion for the art form and not for fame or awards. He was brilliant in the film, "Broken",( the whole cast was wonderful).

[@jeffreyoldham55]

Brilliant and fascinating approach to film making. I particularly liked the soundtrack. Uptempo but a bit melancholy at the same time, and rather like a mouse running across the strings of a piano.

[@marcballard9428]

I watched the film this evening and then watched this interview straight after which made watching this even better.

[@qrco163]

me too ! Hes so Colin in real life

[@edenwylie8917]

hearing the process in such detail is both mindblowing and unsurprising. Mike has been my favourite director for a long time, but this is the first time i heard the method described. thank you for this it's inspiring

[@rub1tan679]

Just watched it for the first time … for the whole film I thought Tim Roth was Timothy Spall

[@Morbius1963]

Great bloke and great movie. The kitchen sink launched from a high-rise. No plot. Like life. People acting out a bleak life, in this case. My favourite Tim Roth scene is in "No way Home" where he's eating a hamburger in a kitchen having spent years in prison surrounded by men of a certain type. Nailed it. Curiously, that character is "slow" too but not "slow" too. I wish I knew for sure what the twitched curtain at the end meant.

[@flashtheoriginal]

Totally fascinating. Great post

[@rogerhargreaves7726]

Meantime, Made in Britain and Quadrophenia were the films of my youth. Especially Meantime which deeply affected me. Looking back now I think it was because I could feel Coxie, Colin, Mark and even Barbera's husband as parts of my own developing character. Unfortunately now I feel more like Frank. At 57 I can sum up my life so far with one word, disappointing.

[@dendemano]

There is always someone who is far worse off than me and you. I don’t share your outlook on life or of myself, although I’m certainly not dismissive of your personal experience and self-assessment. Trust me when I say that we all have an ability to make choices that can be beneficial to others. I don’t wish to be condescending, but I implore you to be charitable and kind towards others and for no other reason than you believe that it’s the right thing to do. It’s surprising how much of an impact this can make in your own life. Keep faith. Peace ❤.

[@williamweb9782]

I am of a similar age to you and I agree these three films had a big influence on me growing up.

[@unchattytwit]

Seems a nice honest bloke. What a career he's had.

[@meridalemusicmachine]

We got ants?

[@skullrose8985]

I was going to put that 😂😂😂😂

[@angiemarren8231]

Tim 😍😍😍

[@luciavitale5903]

Grazie Tim!

[@sianwarwick633]

Mike Leigh's method revealed. Sounds like torture, but it works

[@paulnewman3406]

An amazing film. Very bleak OUR JOBS Phil Daniels. Wonder why he never made it big time

[@sianwarwick633]

'Paul Newman'

[@paulnewman3406]

Yes

[@paulnewman3406]

Sian Gibbs ?

[@driesvanc8764]

OUR PEN

[@williamweb9782]

I love the DSS scene! Colin handing the borrowed, now chewed pen back was a bit of class too. If my memory serves me correctly she puts the pen in the bin in front of him. How funny was that?

[@troyelliott390]

Sharing

[@karlc9773]

I had monkey boots, then i got my first pair of docks and everbody said theres not enough eye holes, I was gutted lol

[@beavisbonce]

Kermit

[@fatherpaulstone896]

Kojak...kojak

[@AW-kr9fl]

We got ants?

[@phaethon3124]

when he gets shot on reservoir dogs he sounds like gonzo

[@drefrazier4266]

When he says the sound is awful I wonder if he's referring to that recurring piano melody. I think it's too loud and rather jarring really

[@MrBobchat]

Meantime is a brilliant film with everyone giving excellent performances... Except Gary Oldman who smashes my willing suspension of disbelief like a side of ham. He puts his stink on every scene he's in over acting and mugging and just making an absolute arse of himself. The best scene he's in is the one in the lift where he has to do pretty much nothing which he just about manages but the rest of the time he acts like a cartoon skinhead. NOBODY ever spoke or acted like that. His melodramatic style absolutely clashes with everyone else's very studied and measured naturalistic acting, which was what the piece really needed. I can forgive him a bit because he was young and looked straight out of acting school but tbh he never got much better. Everyone else was bloody excellent though.

[@ChristopherYork1978]

Amazing…I had the exact opposite reaction. You could feel his rawness and instability during such tough times. The mental problems and anger that often pull young people (and old these days) towards ugly and hateful ideologies. Clearly he was playing a character, Tim alluded to here, who was actually the slow character.

[@MrBobchat]

@@ChristopherYork1978 It was just so hammy and over acted, like you could really, really see him acting and that's something you should not be aware of. It was so out of step with the others. It's possible to portray all the things you mentioned without hamming it up like that. It was like watching an amateur performance

[@harryjones5260]

thats what glued up skinz were like. he was off his head. portraying that will always seem peculiar.

[@staycalmnevapor8]

I thought your lines were " nuh"" nowhere" and " nuffin".😂 I just saw this utterly pointless film last night. I want my time back.