Meantime

Long before they sparred as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Gary Oldman and Tim Roth, then young unknowns, appeared in Mike ''I'll find every brilliant actor in England if it kills me'' Leigh's spare chamber drama about familial manipulation and cruelty. Made for British television, Meantime's every bit the equal of Leigh's later cinematic masterpieces (Life Is Sweet, Secrets & Lies) and features the usual stunning performances (Roth is barely recognizable as the nearly catatonic younger son), beautifully modulated tone, and acute observation of human behavior. Keep the remote handy for rewinding — the working-class accents are borderline incomprehensible to American ears. A-