I first knew about this when I saw the trailer just before seeing another new release not so long ago. It made me laugh, the cast list looked impressive and it seemed to be getting a wide release in a lot of the independent cinemas.
It has a simple set-up to it and has a feeling that it be ideal for a play. If this has not been a theatre production, then it should definitely be one. It is just one set, many characters and nothing but sharp and spiky dialogue being delivered by highly talented actors.
The execution of its structure is entertaining to watch with plenty of laughs. The more outrageous it gets, the bigger the laughs are. The ending is pretty satisfying. However, the risky 71 minutes duration had me wanting more from this.
I cannot remember the last time I saw a film at the cinema that was less than 90 minutes. But I always respect a film that has a snappy run-time and gets out when it feels it needs to rather prolong it to an unnecessary time limit. But I would have liked about 10-20 minutes more character development that would have given us more depth to the story and hopefully more investment in the characters involved.
The performances by everyone was great to watch. They certainly all played their part and became integral to the story. Patricia Clarkson and Cillian Murphy were the stand-outs. Clarkson got the biggest laughs, and that was thanks to her execution of the high-quality dialogue she was given. As for Murphy, it was a character that I have never seen him to do, and it was interesting to see him do something that we don't associate him with. I would've liked some more development from his character though.
Kristin Scott Thomas carried the film well as the central character like she always does and still reminds us all that she can still deliver. Another actor making it look effortless was Timothy Spall. This man can just pull off an awarding winning performance in his sleep.
There was not much on the technical side to speak of. It's filmed in black and white and while I'm not sure of the reasoning of it, I think out of the two options, this was the right one.
The camerawork enhanced the tension rather well. The way it moved around the characters in an almost intimate way really gave a sense of the situation you were witnessing.
While I did want some added run-time to enhance the characters, I still had a good time with this. The story is interesting, the performances are strong and the humor is consistent. Even when everything tears itself apart, it still manages to hold itself together and is very enjoyable to see how everything unfolds whilst hitting some great gags and poking fun at society.
Rating: 7/10
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