Character Relationship Map: Meantime

Characters

• Mark (played by Phil Daniels) — protagonist

  Older brother of Colin, outspoken and headstrong. Unemployed and constantly scrounging for cash and drinks from friends like Coxy. He mocks his father Frank, teases Colin with nicknames, and makes ins...

• Colin (played by Tim Roth) — protagonist

  Extremely shy younger brother and Mark's sibling. Unemployed, he harbors a crush on a girl but cannot act on it. He accepts a redecorating job from his aunt Barbara but flees when Mark interrupts. At...

• Frank (played by Jeffrey Robert) — supporting

  The Pollock family's father, described as bitter and feckless. He is unemployed and relies on the dole. He is frequently mocked and belittled by his older son, Mark.

• Mavis (played by Pam Ferris) — supporting

  The Pollock family's mother and the only working member. Described as nagging and put-upon, she struggles to keep the household afloat amidst the economic recession and her family's aimless existence.

• Coxy (played by Gary Oldman) — supporting

  A friend of Mark. Characterized as a crude and impulsive skinhead. Mark frequently cadges drinks and cash from him and other friends.

• Barbara (played by Marion Bailey) — supporting

  Mavis's sister, residing in suburban Chigwell with her husband John. Her affluent lifestyle masks a lackluster marriage. She offers Colin a redecorating job, which he abandons when Mark interrupts.

• John (played by Alfred Molina) — supporting

  Barbara's husband. Their marriage is described as lackluster, concealed behind their comfortable social and financial facade in the suburbs.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Colin → Barbara (Professional Temporary Employee) — Barbara provides Colin with a temporary work opportunity outside the Pollock household.

  Barbara offers Colin a job helping her redecorate her home.

• Barbara → John (Family Spouse) — Their marriage is financially comfortable but emotionally lacklustre.

  Barbara is described as living in Chigwell with her husband John.

• Mavis → Barbara (Family Sister) — The sisters live in sharply contrasting economic and social circumstances.

  Barbara is explicitly described as Mavis's sister.

• Frank → Colin (Family Father) — The relationship exists within the family's unemployed and pressured household.

  Frank is identified as the father of the Pollock family, which includes Colin.

• Frank → Mark (Family Father) — Their father-son relationship is repeatedly strained by Mark's contemptuous behavior.

  Frank is the Pollock family's father, and Mark is one of his sons.

• Mavis → Colin (Family Mother) — Their family connection is part of the film's domestic portrait.

  Mavis is described as the mother of the Pollock family, which includes Colin as one of her sons.

• Mavis → Mark (Family Mother) — Mavis bears much of the household burden while Mark remains unemployed.

  Mavis is the mother in the Pollock family, and Mark is one of her two sons.

• Mark → Colin (Family Brother) — They are brothers whose contrasting personalities shape many household interactions.

  Mark is identified as Colin's older brother, while Colin is described as the younger sibling in the Pollock family.

• Mavis → Frank (Family Spouse) — Their marriage is strained by unemployment, financial pressure, and domestic frustration.

  Mavis and Frank are described as a couple living together with their two sons.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Mark → Barbara (Conflict Provocateur) — Mark's comments intrude on Barbara's marriage and expose family discomfort.

  Mark makes insinuations about Barbara's troubled relationship with John.

• Mark → Coxy (Social Friend) — Coxy belongs to Mark's social circle around the street and local pub.

  Coxy is identified as one of Mark's friends and is characterized as a crude, impulsive skinhead.

Story Analysis

A fragmented portrait of working-class stagnation, family friction, and unresolved daily life during recession-era London.

Plot Progression

1. A Household Under Strain — The Pollock family is introduced in a shabby East End tower block during recession. Mavis is the only working member, while Frank, Mark, and Colin remain on the dole.
2. Aimless Days And Sharp Tongues — Mark moves between the street, friends, and the pub while seeking cash and drinks. His mockery of Frank and Colin exposes the family's routine hostility and stagnation.
3. Comfort Across The Divide — Barbara and John's suburban life offers a comfortable contrast to the Pollocks, although their marriage is emotionally empty. Barbara's connection to Colin creates a possible route toward temporary wo...
4. Work Interrupted — Colin accepts Barbara's redecorating job but loses confidence when Mark arrives. He refuses to continue and leaves, while Mark's insinuations also unsettle Barbara's marriage.
5. Another Unresolved Day — Colin returns home with his head shaved, providing an abrupt final image rather than a conventional resolution. The film closes on its continuing cycle of ordinary arguments and problems.