The film opens with brief statistics about the number of refugees living in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan during the last twelve years of war.
Two of them are Jamal and Enayatullah, cousins, whose family fund their illegal journey to England where another cousin is waiting. Jamal, the younger of the two is accompanying his relative because of his facility with English. Their journey from Pakistan through Iran, Turkey and Italy, to France and the ultimate destination in Britain is marked by inefficiency, officialdom, fear of betrayal and very occasional humanity.
There is little character development, there is little point these two men are reduced to the almost basic human dimensions of fear and survival. Michael Winterbottom is really an extraordinary filmmaker. He moves from adapting Thomas Hardy novels to social commentaries of contemporary London in films like Wonderland, from depictions of the punk rock scene in 24 Hour Party People to socially committed films like Welcome to Sarajevo and now, In this World.
Working in difficult circumstances with digital video cameras, using only available light, with two non-professional actors so convincing as the desperate escapees this film is a telling comment on the plight of many of this world's 14 million refugees. Comments by David Stratton Michael Winterbottom's film is an eye-opening examination of the perils and dangers facing desperate refugees as they attempt to reach a new life in Britain. Winterbottom, who never makes the same kind of film twice, captures with gripping immediacy the journey of two young men in a reminder that refugees are human beings.
