Just A Little Bit Random

LFF 2020: Never Gonna Snow Again – Review

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 53 minutes, Directors – Małgorzata Szumowska, Michał Englert

The residents of a gated community trust their deepest secrets and worries with a mysterious, quiet masseuse (Alec Utgoff)

When it comes to being relaxed how much are you more likely to give away? What if you barely know the person you’re giving away this information too? According to the residents of the highly gated community in which Never Gonna Snow Again takes place the answer is quite easily – especially when a good massage is involved. Over the course of their increasingly frequent sessions with quiet Ukrainian masseuse Zena (Alec Utgoff) figures including wine-drinking widows and distant wives place their trust in the man they have invited into their homes. They let out their worries and secrets as the stranger who has barely been in town long gets to work relaxing them like it seems noone else can.

Initially it’s quite interesting hearing what such people have to say, it certainly acts as the main hook of the film for a large portion of it. The development of trust in someone they barely seem to know anything about and the words they disperse certainly has something that you can connect with. However, this can only go so far. It takes the film up to 50 minutes to bring in something more of an extra element, or at least the story – that of which there is – to develop in some way.

While most of the goings on that make up the film continue to take place in the homes of the highly gated estate in which the wealthy customers live there are one or two elements that stray outward. The laughs may not exactly be frequent throughout the film, but then again this doesn’t always seem to be the intention; when it is the tone changes slightly to create a speedier, more comedic, feel when the lines aren’t quick throwaways to satirise the residents of the community. One such scene being a dance routine turned magic act set to music that sounds like it could have come from the Nintendo Wii, whether this was the intention is a different matter.

Yet, throughout the whole film it’s Utgoff’s near-silent central figure – almost healer – who we observe throughout the course of the narrative. From the start of the film it’s made clear that he’s an outsider to the area – his silence, behaviours and mannerisms show that he recognises this. It almost feels at times as if he’s trying to get information on the residents, or perhaps the country (the Earth perhaps? – there’s something sometimes mysterious and otherworldly about the performance, allowing the character to become more of an enigma). One thing’s for certain, the residents clearly trust him, and it makes for something interesting, if occasionally thin, to watch.

While the open monologues and trust of the community’s residents make for something interesting these only take Never Gonna Snow Again so far, sometimes taking a while to pick back up by allowing the viewer to observe a bit more, or something slightly different.

LFF 2020: 200 Metres – Review

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 30 minutes, Director – Ameen Nayfeh

A Palestinian father (Ali Suliman) is stuck on the other side of a border wall as he must smuggle himself into Israel where his son is in hospital.

The world record for sprinting 200 metres is 19.19 seconds, the average competitive run of the distance is around 21-22 seconds. To many the distance likely doesn’t seem too far, however for Palestinian father Mustafa (Ali Suliman) it seems a constantly extending ocean. He’s trapped in his home country, on the other side of the border wall, just 200 metres away from the Israeli hospital in which his son is currently in. While he says goodnight to them by shining a torch from just outside his house each night he’s desperate to get across the border to his Israeli wife and children. This is of course not by the regular means. Mustafa refuses to get a permit that would easily allow him in the country, instead he finds himself warily working his way in with a carful of people all wanting to evade border patrol and various checkpoints along the way.

Throughout the film we get to know the other figures that are taking this journey, some just so that they can have better chances of finding work, others returning from weddings, while one person simply seems to be documenting the experience for a project they are working on. With such personalities the conversation flows rather well. It feels natural and unforced. In fact much of the film’s content clicks and works, unlike other road trip films where some content feels as if it’s there to push the film to feature length. Perhaps it’s the dramatic tone of the film that helps with this point. The worry that the group are going to be found discovered or randomly attacked in the middle of nowhere. Tension lies as they cross each mile, a much more dangerous and lengthier method than the 200 metre walk across the border.

Suliman’s central performance helps to keep things believable and grounded over the short 90 minute course of the narrative. His character constantly thinks about his son, fearing not just that he might be able to get across the border into Israel, but might somehow die on his way and never be able to see his family again. The risk is made clear and lingers throughout each scene and advancement in the journey. Most of all this is felt after multiple fearful events and instances where hope seems to have been abandoned, or hope has potentially abandoned the characters, and Mustafa finds himself right outside the country in which he is trying to smuggle himself into.

It’s at this point that the tone shifts. The film becomes much more serious. Not exactly dark, but it certainly becomes quieter and more contemplative of what is being depicted, clearly trying to make a statement about not just the border wall but the Israel-Palestine divide as a whole. The initial tone is somewhat left behind as the film not exactly tries to wrap itself up but gets to its core point. Alongside this the pacing slightly changes to fully push the idea of the change in environment and how out of place the central figure – who you are at the side of for most of the entire run-time – feels. While this doesn’t affect the overall quality or style of the film it does take a couple of minutes to get used to, despite the journey there the ease into this change isn’t exactly gradual.

However, the film continues along its, if slightly shifted, lines rather well and continues to make for an interesting drama. When things could easily be comedic, although not in the third act, they continue to be played straight and gives the film the sense of drama and nervous dread that the characters feel as their trek unfolds. Much of this comes from the pacing of the film and the ways in which a number of key events and conversations occur, not to mention Suliman’s performance, on-screen for the majority of the piece. It all combines to make something rather interesting and engaging when it comes to the situations that you see the characters facing, especially impressive when it comes to how well everything flows before the third act change seem to happen.

While the third act seems to shift into something clearly political, but still keeping some interest from beforehand, 200 Metres is an engaging and fairly naturally flowing piece of nervous worry emitting from not just Ali Suliman’s strong central performance, but the supporting cast around him too.

LFF 2020: Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) – Review

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 54 minutes, Directors – Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri

Two Nigerians (Jude Akuwudike, Temi Ami-Williams), living separate struggling lives, dream of a better life outside of the country.

The subtitle of Eyimofe – the feature directorial debut of brothers Arie and Chuko Esiri – This Is My Desire very much shows the personal nature of the two separate narratives that make the film up. Central figures Mofe (Jude Akuwudike) and Rosa (Temi Ami-Williams) both dream of better lives outside of the Nigerian capital, Lagos, in fact outside of the country itself. Each figure dreams of leaving their lives of poverty and living in squalid conditions for something less stressful and definitely worry-free, a life infinitely more happy and easier. The first half of the film – entitled ‘Spain’ – follows Mofe, primarily a factory electrician with a number of other jobs on the side, trying his best to support his family. However, tragedy strikes and Mofe finds himself left alone in a state of grief and bereavement. His hopes of leaving and making a better life for himself are crushed, his desire remaining a hopeless dream.

Meanwhile in the second half of the film we follow hairdresser-by-day bartender-by-night Rosa (Temi Ami-Williams) as she dreams of escaping to chapter title ‘Italy’ with her pregnant younger sister, Grace (Cynthia Ebijie). Unfortunately Rosa is struggling to pay for herself, with her sister’s medical bills and rent taking priority, let alone a visa. When she meets American Peter (Jacob Alexander) things seem as if they’re about to turn around, although soon he suspects that his only benefit to her may be financial. It simply adds to more feeling that the dreams of these characters are never going to come true, it’s the main link between them in the two, somewhat lengthy, chapters that make up the film.

The tone is kept naturalistic throughout to add to the realism and effect. While this means that the emotion of the piece feels raw and honest it also means that a number of the scenes feel very quiet. The lack of score intensifies this and definitely keeps things grounded, and allows the use of music to have a stronger effect when it infrequently plays in the background of a select number of scenes. When it comes to such quieter scenes they seem to lack enough detail to properly engage with them, and when these happen to be some of the longer scenes your connection with the film dwindles. This is particularly the case in the transition between characters and chapters, the tragedies and struggles are different and initially they almost feel like two separate short films (although having shared themes and elements). At just under two hours the film does feel a bit too long, with more time spent with Rosa; who, despite having more detail to her story, doesn’t quite seem to have the emotional depth and sudden tragedy of Mofe.

Akuwudike’s intense response to his family bereavement is hard to top – his performance throughout his character’s 45 minute segment is deeply sombre and sets the tone for the rest of the film in an instant. Even some of the lighter moments, if they can be called that, within this naturalistic drama seem to have a feeling of sadness and emotion around them. Certainly not in a cynical way, luckily stopping the film from becoming excessively depressing. The film never looks down on the characters or treats them harshly, it simply captures them (not quite in a documentary style) and the multiple more-than-unfortunate experiences that they live through. At times it might feel that you’re living through them too, partly down to the emotion of the film, partly because of the lengthy impact that they have on the film too.

While it has an emotional effect thanks to the performances the biggest impact in Eyimofe is perhaps too early on, affecting the rest of the quiet, and sometimes too lengthy, nature of the film.

LFF 2020: Undine – Review

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 30 minutes, Director – Christian Petzold

Undine (Paula Beer) works as a history lecturer in Berlin, after finding new love it appears that a mysterious secret of hers is gradually being revealed.

If there’s one thing Undine (Paula Beer) is serious about it’s her romantic life. In the opening scene we see the final moments of her relationship with boyfriend Johannes (Jacob Matschenz). She wants to give him a final chance, essentially giving him the offer of relationship or death, however behind her stony expression emotion begins to break through. Much like her sadness in this moment Undine appears to be hiding something else about herself, something that she’s never properly shown anybody. Perhaps this break-up will finally allow her secret to emerge. It certainly seems as if this is the case, and quickly new-found love with diver Christoph (Franz Rogowski) is further allowing for this to happen.

As the relationship blossoms the pair seem to share a love of the underwater world. Frequently going diving in nearby areas to the dark green depths where time almost seems to stop. During such points writer-director Christian Petzold makes it seem as if the lovers are in a completely different, almost mythical, world, simply them and the occasional breath and bubble around them. However, Beer’s performance consistently reminds us that she’s hiding something. Even when her character finds herself working, lecturing about the urban development of Berlin, her performance continues to convey the idea that there is something else on her mind.

For the most part such ideas lie in the background as the relationship between Undine and Christoph is explored. The bond that they grow simply adds to the mystery as the audience is occasionally put in Christoph’s shoes wondering about some of the strange characteristics and disappearances of Undine. The fact that the two often meet at the café in which the title character’s previous relationship ended not long before occasionally brings about the thought that this one might end just as quickly, but under different circumstances.

Petzold explores a number of his themes, particularly in the second half, with the style of a thriller, while never actually entering the feeling of the genre. It simply helps to build up more mystery around the central character. Preparing the viewer for a number of, sometimes shocking, twists and turns in the second half, particularly the final half hour, of the piece. Such elements stop things from feeling like a standard middle-of-the-road romantic drama simply looking at new love while somehow reflecting on previous relationships. Such elements are still in place, and do take up some of the lengthier scenes and ideas, however the slightly more fantastical and mysterious elements of the character tend to break through. They lift the film up that bit more and push it slightly further, bringing the viewer in to feel more engagement with the film. By the end an interesting drama with its twists, turns and mysterious fantasies unfolds for a worthwhile final half hour of equal measure.

A romantic drama with occasional thriller tones Undine avoids feeling like a standard by-the-numbers drama thanks to its infrequent delves into mystery, fantasy and the potential hidden life, secrets and feelings of Paula Beer’s title character.

Synchronic – Review

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 42 minutes, Director – Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

A paramedic’s (Jamie Dornan) daughter (Ally Ioannides) goes missing after seemingly taking a drug linked to multiple deaths in the area, meanwhile his co-worker (Anthony Mackie) discovers the pill’s time travel abilities.

Don’t let the Doctor Who style chaos of Synchronic’s opening sequence turn you away. While it may start with an unexplained attack as plants appear to grow in a woman’s bedroom before being attacked by a mysterious figure, and another unsuspecting victim in a malfunctioning lift there’s a fair deal of originality to this blend of sci-fi, thriller and drama with potential hints of horror and cult influence. Co-directors Justin Benson (who also servers as writer) and Aaron Moorhead create an almost dystopian modern day world from the beginning of this genre mixture. They throw their two protagonists, paramedics Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) into a dark world of mysterious and gruesome deaths. While some seem like drug overdoses others are marked by deep wounds, petrified expressions and strange objects that appear to be from another world or age. The one thing that appears to link each death is that the victim took a new drug known as Synchronic just before dying.

However, after the film builds up various connections between character’s and shows us once or twice more just how bad these mysterious deaths – or murders? – are, the pair attend a call where Dennis’ daughter, Brianna (Ally Ioannides), was known to be. However, instead of being found dead she’s completely disappeared, presumed missing by the friends she was with. While Dornan’s worried father frantically searches for her, putting pleas all across town and on social media – the tragedy taking a toll on his marriage – his co-worker frantically buys all remaining Synchronic pills in heated anger. After an interaction with the drug’s creator (Ramiz Monsef) Steve discovers that the pill briefly transports people back in time, often nearby to someone or something that tries to attack and kill the magically appearing figure.

Mackie easily becomes the core focus of the film as he investigates and experiments with the drug, putting himself at risk as he tries to learn more about it. It’s during such scenes that the pace truly picks up and the originality of the film shines. With a limited amount of pills, yet still enough to test going back in time a handful of times, he learns that Brianna is trapped at some unknown point in the past, having been unable to return, and must find her and understand how the rules of time-travel work. One thing’s for sure, it’s certainly not like Back To The Future he agitatedly points out at a bar TV, after a bad experience he claims the only good thing about the past was the music. However, as he uncovers more things certainly don’t get any easier. His life is put further at risk and he realises the true risks and consequences of trying to get his friend’s daughter back. All while Dornan finds himself losing hope, and, like Mackie’s character already has, slowly turning to drink – something that is only really glimpsed at.

Throughout the rules and ideas that Benson’s screenplay comes up with prove to be highly inventive, truly showing its influence from a number of cult sci-fi films. They lead to further engagement, and during some scenes a mild amount of tension, from the viewer within the world that has been created. While things do initially start off slowly things certainly become more engaging as they go on, and once you know how the film itself works this could very likely be something that works better with re-watches. However, for the first viewing while it might take some time to get going with one or two repeated elements there’s enough inventiveness and originality to make Synchronic worthwhile. Using a number of elements from its influences to its advantages this might not be a complete trip, but it’s certainly a strong enough mixture to provide some interest and entertainment for just under two hours.

Using its inventiveness and influences to its advantage put aside the repetition during the first half and Synchronic is an enjoyable, and at times slightly tense, blend of genres, the type we don’t often see nowadays.

The Dig – Review

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 51 minutes, Director – Simon Stone

As World War II looms Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) employs archaeologist Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to uncover potential treasures that may lie beneath the mounds on her Sutton Hoo estate.

Sometimes the simplest things in life can bring us the purest of joys. The Dig isn’t a film that revels in big budget CGI and is mostly void of action or threat, in fact for the first half the film is largely concerned with one thing. Ralph Fiennes digging into a giant mound. Fiennes plays Basil Brown, an archaeologist employed by Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) to uncover potential treasures that may lie beneath her. The initial search is calm and simplistic, a three man job with only one or two small items uncovered. Director Simon Stone’s slow-panning shots as he reveals the dig site and the various unearthed pieces of history, mixed with the wonderful cinematography of Mike Eley, bringing you into the peace of the events.

It’s this technique that allows for the discovery of a burial ship – which could date back as early as the Anglo-Saxon era – to truly have an impact on the viewer. This large scale finding also has an impact on a number of people interested in the project. Soon the British Museum (led by Ken Stott) takes charge of the titular dig, and a number of new figures are brought in – including married couple Stuart (Ben Chaplin) and Peggy Piggott (Lily James). As the site becomes busier so does the film, as more elements of drama are introduced. There’s a battle for ownership of the burial, still not fully uncovered, Peggy is feeling distanced from her husband; developing a relationship with Edith’s cousin Rory (Johnny Flynn). Meanwhile, Edith herself is experiencing her own personal health problems which she tries to keep secret from those excavating her land by hand, leading her to worry about what the future may be like for her young son, Robert (Archie Barnes).

With such introductions and elements of drama brought in, amongst the backdrop of the looming Second World War – planes are seen frequently flying over the field – the film does lose its quaint sense of intimacy. Such character details and exchanges are mostly introduced in the second half and only have that space of time to be started, developed and finished, all while the main dig is still happening. For a while the dig itself looses some steam as it seems to be pushed aside. The space grows along with the amount of people involved and, again, that once personal connection and feeling is removed. Even Fiennes’ excellent central performance, thick Suffolk accent and pipe, seems to be pushed aside. His serious, and occasionally crotchety, attitude towards his line of work and discussions with Mulligan’s owner who, like her son, is fascinated by the discoveries of what lies beneath her property.

Yet, with all this in mind the film does still hold some form of grip on the viewer. They may not be as entranced by the dig as in the first half of the film, but there’s still something in the remaining details; even if they make the film feel a bit busy, that makes enough to keep things from feeling overly bland. Events might become somewhat generic and lose a sense of spark and flare, but they’re still watchable for the most part, and the majority of the archaeological expedition certainly has a way of keeping you invested – particularly within the first half. In fact such moments are possibly the biggest surprise of the film, the strength of which is perhaps only outdone by Fiennes Suffolk accent.

The second half may be a bit too busy but, The Dig certainly doesn’t feel generic when looking at the calm and effective archaeological trance, matched only by Fiennes understated central performance.

Twist – Review

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 30 minutes, Director – Martin Owen

A young graffiti artist (Raff Law) is welcomed into a group of fellow orphans, planning a high-profit art heist.

As we’re thrown into a parkour speed-run of modern-day London setting of Twist the audience is promised a tale with no singing and dancing. This is very much a different, and inevitable, loose take on Charles Dickens’ much adapted novel. Martin Owen’s film is filled with such moments as his central figure jumps, charges and escapes through the streets of the capital. While the seemingly Kingsman inspired moments do gain a sense of repetition as the narrative develops they still manage to hold an entertaining style, similarly held in a number of the montages and heist sequences that take place throughout.

Throughout the film we follow Oliver (Raff Law), going by the name of Twist. Left orphaned from a young age, after his Mum passed away, as an adult he mostly sleeps under the benches of art museums while spray painting what he views as art throughout the city. After falling in with Dodge (a miscast Rita Ora) and Batesy (Franz Drameh) Twist finds himself quickly becoming part of a family of orphaned thieves – led by Michael Caine’s Fagin – growing especially close to Sophie Simnett’s Red. Together they are planning a major art heist from under the nose of a key artworld figure, and former rival of Fagin, Losberne (David Walliams).

Cue multiple heist scenarios, sequences and montages set to some form of catchy pop-rock track to quickly move the plot along. The storyline itself may be flimsy and slightly tacked together, however the entertainment factor is still there. Even Michael Caine donning a thick scrubbing-brush moustache and faux Russian accent (sounding much like he’s doing a bad impression of himself) provides moments of amusement and one or two chuckles. The 12-rated tone and nature of some of the action and events does feel somewhat off-key, an f-bomb in particular definitely feels unnecessary. For what mostly comes across as a family film the not-quite-gritty nature of things does seem slightly odd on a number of occasions.

Yet, the film still holds an entertainment factor. Lena Headey as a gender-swapped Sikes is certainly having a good time relishing her villainous role and brings about an extra element of light thrills to the piece – which just about avoids the feeling of a Guy Ritchie inspired family film. This may not be the most perfect film in the world, and certainly isn’t overly along the lines of other Oliver Twist adaptations. However, throughout the handful of parkour sequences and heist play-throughs there’s plenty of amusement, amongst the misshapen plot and a number of clunky elements, to be found within this twist on Twist.

The 12-rated tone may at times feel as messy as some of the plot elements there’s certainly enough within the various, if sometimes repetitive, parkour chases and heists of Twist to keep things moving for most of the run-time.

The White Tiger – Review

Cert – 15, Run-time – 2 hours 5 minutes, Director – Ramin Bahrani

A young man (Adrash Gourav) works his way through India’s social divide by becoming the driver for a wealthy, if dubious, family.

“I’m going to Delhi in an air conditioned car!” Balram (Adrash Gourav) gleefully exclaims out of the window of an almost otherwise silent, pristine, latest-model car with the best gadgets spread throughout it as he glides past a dirty, overflowing bus in the dusty roads impacted by the heat of the Indian sun. While for his employers going to the city, even the rest of the world, is almost a regular occurrence Balram has stayed put in his village for nearly his entire life. After excelling at school he was told from a young age that he would be a white tiger – a rare, once in a generation person – he’s still waiting for his shining fortune to arrive. However, after his father passes away, owing money to the landlord who owns the village, school is abandoned so that Balram can work to pay his father’s debts, alongside keeping the rest of his family going.

On getting a job driving for the family, acting more as a servant than a driver – partly down to the family’s first driver – Balram’s life gradually begins to change. While he lives a life of servitude he’s earning far more money than he initially did work in a tea room, and the luxurious environment consistently surprises him. Yet, despite all the joys and wonders that he experiences the class divide creates a number of struggles for him. Balram is tested, and occasionally abused, by his employers – he is viewed as lesser because of his alleged lower-caste. The only two people who seem to treat him as a human are son Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and his wife Pinky (Priyanka Chopra) – both back from the lavish heights of American cities.

Ashok insists that he is called by his name instead of constantly hearing “sir” or “master”, Balram begins to feel like an equal amongst him, despite still residing in the bare underground surroundings of servant quarters, away from the hotel suites where his employers work. The conversation in such areas is very different to that of the dubious actions of the, some of whom will gladly resort to bribery to keep their wealth and status. Similarly, as he becomes increasingly mistreated Gourav’s central figure becomes even more angered by the abuse of social power that he is first-hand experiencing. Writer-director Ramin Bahrani’s screenplay – adapted from Aravind Adiga’s award winning novel of the same name – becomes much more personal for his central figure as the language becomes much more violent. Tension begins to build-up within this dramatic satire as darker elements are brought in and Balram begins to question his own personal thoughts and feelings. It’s not until this second half when you truly realise just how good Gourav’s performance is, how much emotion and impact he stores within the piece and how he allows those around him to shine too.

He, alongside the film, begins to ask “do we loathe our masters behind a façade of love, or do we love them behind a façade of loathing?” As such themes come further into play the film becomes an even better pairing with last year’s Parasite. The tension is boosted by Danny Bensi and Saunday Jurrians’ layered score, alongside the film’s soundtrack, which finds itself embracing the culture and locations of the film, truly boosting the mood and tone of the piece. Everything combines to create a detailed character arc revolving around a rise through the Indian class system. Not without its humour, and certainly hitting hard on the satire side, this is certainly a personal story for the main character. One that comes across in his convincing rage that builds across the narrative and forms an interesting and engaging look into his behaviours and conversations with people of different social standings in the country, as he himself evolves through their dark undercurrents.

A finely scripted satirical drama that’s certainly not without its tensions, The White Tiger is a layered piece of filmmaking led by a strong performance from Gourav whose increasing anger commands almost every scene.

Baby Done – Review

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 31 minutes, Director – Curtis Vowell

On learning that she’s pregnant Zoe’s (Rose Matafeo) plans fall around her as she rushes to achieve her dreams, meanwhile her long-term boyfriend Tim (Matthew Lewis) stresses about the birth and fatherhood.

Rose Matafeo has easily established herself as one of the most in-demand recent stars of stand-up here in the UK. Now, back on home territory, she firmly establishes her acting chops with a show-stealing performance as mother-to-be Zoe. Zoe’s pregnancy comes as a shock to both her and her long-term boyfriend Tim (Matthew Lewis). The couple, who are perfectly happy not married – or engaged – and hold confused contempt for the likes of baby showers and events to reveal a baby’s sex, both worry about the prospect of becoming parents; just in different areas of their lives.

Zoe fears that a baby will prevent her from achieving her dreams. An accomplished tree surgeon her aims of attending world championships in Canada are scuppered by her pregnancy. While initially she tries to deny it claiming that “tapeworm can cause positive tests” panic soon sets in. Having seen many of her friends become distanced from her by achieving the alleged three goals of life – “marriage, house, baby, done” – she rushes to get everything done before it’s too late. Meanwhile Tim’s mind melts while rushing with hundreds of panicked thoughts about how good he’ll be as a father. He watches endless videos of people giving birth in any scenario to prepare himself for what may happen whenever the baby arrives – whether the pair are ready or not. With such differing views the couple begin to argue, a rift forms in their relationship, as the thought of looming parenthood brings their lives to a near halt.

The central pairing both deliver fine performances, however as the core focus of the film, who we seemingly spend the most time with, Matafeo is the true comedic force who steals the show. The frankness and yet light humour of her character go a long way in this mostly light-hearted New Zealand comedy. Far from holding a mean streak, the growing divide in the relationship is dealt with with enough sense of drama that the film never strays into the realms of farce or conventional rom-com. The duo – even as the final half hour begins and things become somewhat tangential for a brief amount of time – have good chemistry and work well together on screen. The sense of humour that they bring about together makes them an entertaining couple, definitely with their imperfections but this simply heightens the impact of their drifting apart as they worry about how they will change with a baby in their lives. And yet you stick with them throughout the pregnancy because of the humour carried throughout and the good-willed nature that the film holds for most of its short, if not always direct, run time.

Rose Matafeo truly steals the show with a light-hearted performance to match the tone of Baby Done. Lewis also gives a good turn that shows opposite worries for the pair in the relationship of two people fearing different things for when a baby they didn’t expect arrives through the well-divided comedy and drama.

LFF 2020: Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets – Review

Release Date – 1st January 2021, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 38 minutes, Director – Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross

The regular patrons of a Las Vegas bar meet throughout the day and night to drink up and say goodbye to their beloved meeting place on its final day

Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is an interesting experiment. Part-documentary, part-fiction the film takes a fly-on-the-wall view at the final day of a Las Vegas bar, The Roaring 20s, and the regular patrons that come to drown their sorrows at this event in the booze that it sells. However, The Roaring 20s is still a very much open bar in New Orleans, and while the conversations are improvised they are held by street-cast actors aware of the fact that they are being filmed. From the very start ’til the very end of the day the booze flows and the various characters get increasingly intoxicated throughout, allowing for some more open, although deeply slurred, conversations.

This is a film that shows that a bar truly is where everybody knows your name. It’s a place where people go for friendship, escape and companionship. Where they both leave their cares and worries and feel free to release them in emotional conversations. People openly give back advice, honest words such as “I am somebody you hang out with at a bar, I am not your family!” And yet, most of all, this is a film about a group of people getting absolutely smashed. In each frame you can practically smell the alcohol washing throughout the characters and the bar they live in for the day. The setting is illuminated by cheap neon and LED lights of all different colours. Flooding the room with a reddish, purple hue. Even the exterior scenes in the car park outside the main building seem to be soaked in the same style.

Yet, the most enjoyable moments of the film aren’t those dwelling on the personal stories and discussions that you overhear. It’s the moments where everyone seems to have come together around the simplest of things just to have a good time. In the opening half hour as the day has just started and the early-morning drinkers and sentimentalists wander in they rejoice in choruses, led by the barman on guitar – “he’s almost as good as the jukebox” someone claims – of Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler (a song which echoes throughout the film as a plaintive reminder as to why everyone has gathered). The crowd innocently gazing at a small box-TV screen displaying a slightly static picture of Jeopardy and occasionally shouting out the answers also serves as a highlight. The film feels honest and the conversations certainly don’t feel improvised, they feel genuine.

While some moments do seem to be somewhat repetitive. As the night arrives and the early morning hours loom the film, much like the drunken figures it shows, begins to stagger and slow down as it has more hours still to show and seems to want to show every detail of the closing moments of the bar that it shows. The customers may not quite have time to sober up to properly say goodbye to their favourite drinking place but there’s plenty of time for the viewers to do so with the slightly drawn out ending. The feeling does set in eventually that this may have potentially worked better as a 45 minute short film. However, for what the film does offer there’s enough cheer and interesting observed conversations to keep things, aside from the alcohol, flowing.

Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is absolutely soaked in booze. It comes with plenty of engaging observations within the improvised dialogue but a struggle to sober up does lead to some staggering and repetition.