Edge (2010)

The BFI festival is running from the 13th until the 28th of October, and this gave me the chance to broaden my horizons and check out some Independant film yumminess, the first being "My Joy" and the second being Edge, written and directed by Carol Morley, and starring Maxine Peak, Marjorie Yates (both of Shameless fame) Joseph Dempsie and Nichola Burley.

The story revolves around 6 strangers staying at a little hotel in a non-descript area of the British coast, where each the guests seem to be in some way broken inside, the six main guests pair up into 3 groups which give us our 3 main stories (loosely flowing in and out of one another) as well as the Receptionist and Waitress phasing in and out as comic relief. the film cuts between each of the pairs, where usually one of the 2 has an issue the other is trying to help them overcome, while revealing their own flaws in the process, slowly working through each of their problems until the finale, which envelopes all three tales and culminates them into one ending.

Having attended the BFI film festival showing, the film was followed by a Q&A, in which Writer/Director Morely explained how delicate a balance it was between the humour and the dark source material, and that it was something she wanted to convey as all those darker moments in her life were usually surrounded by humour too. This, I feel, was something she didn't fully pull off in the execution, while stunning to look at, as long takes and the beautiful landscapes give you plenty to ogle, this Indie Drama feels a little watery at points, without giving too much away a lot of what happens, the climax feels a bit forced, something more likely to come out of a soap opera episode climax. But it was striking a balance between morbidity and laughter that something never quite clicked, while the humour DID work it just as if it were placed at the wrong time on some occasions.

Overall, great to see low budget Brit Indies being made at such a high calibre, the whole cast manage to convince us of their inner turmoil and angst, if only the story hadn't felt so much like a "made for TV deal" 6/10.

My Joy (2010)

Film titles often make promises, "There Will BE Blood" or "Disaster Movie" both delivered, (one contained blood and the other was a disaster) Director Sergei Loznitsa deceives us with My Joy, with almost anything but what could be considered "joyful".

This dark, dark tome comes to us from Russia (though filmed in Ukraine and financed by Germans) followed a period of time in the life of a Russian truck driver meeting various different people along the way, some merely offering a story (taking us into historic flashbacks) or in one case, paid sex. It unravels (very slowly) to show us a man having his spirit, hope and possibly even life destroyed by his countries rotten folk, the scum and corrupt picking apart his soul.

It's a technical feat in the sense that there are MANY long takes in this film, Director Loznitsa stated that there are only 140 in the entire 127 minute running time, while these long takes (of which I am a huge fan) are well done and work only toward emerging you into the films world even further, the confusing plot and extremely slow pace begin to grate on you after a while, though films made for us by our European brethren are usually more artistic and expressionist, this whole feature is emotionally sucking and slow, elements that could be good in some films, but this one, for all it's pretty imagery started to feel like a chore toward the end.

Great style, solid performances, but maybe something one has to see through the eyes of a Russian to understand it's many complexities, 7/10.