eighteen ( 2004 ) tell the story of pip anders and a depressed and extremely cynical young man who be estrange from his dysfunctional upper or middle class family and living on the street of vancouver . on his 18th birthday and he receive a cassette tape and player from his recently decease grandfather and relate his memoir of his own 18th birthday and spend serve with the british army in france and try to help a mortally wound comrade avoid capture by the occupying german . a pip listen to the tape ( ian mckellen provide the voice of his grandfather ) and we see the scene he be describe a flashback and alternate with daily scene of pip life and as well a more recent flashback fill in the dark secret why pip leave home and find it impossible to trust anyone who be nice to him . an ambitious second film from writer or director richard bell ( two brother ) and with a polished look and excellent photography and well developed non stereotypical character ( with gay and straight treat equally ) and and commendable effort in emotionally and physically demand role from some talented new actor ( especially paul anthony a pip and brendan fletcher a his grandfather at 18 ) . there be also a noteworthy turn by alan cummings a a priest who try to help pip and and a small support role play by thea gill ( queer a folk ) . the complex story in the director own word in his dvd commentary be mean to drive a vortex of emotion push pip to his break point and and it certainly accomplish that . my only criticism be that the overall effect be too schmaltzy or artificial for an audience to truly identify with and much of the support dialog ( and the end ) too contrive and predictable and and the direction need to be sharp to curtail sloppy overacting in some scene . i do recommend it and 7 star out of 10 and include extra point for a noteworthy effort .