Review: I Know You Know

Director: Justin Kerrigan

Cast: Robert Carlyle & Aaron Fuller

The relationship between fathers and sons, and the hero worship that fades as we realise that parents are every bit as human as ourselves, lies at the heart of I know You Know, the latest film from Justin Kerrigan (Human Traffic), starring Robert Carlyle.

Set in the 1980s, the film is focused on Charlie (Carlyle) and Jamie (Arron Fuller), a father and son team. Charlie presents himself as a secret agent, living on the edge. Jamie is an all too willing assistant.

The plot is concerned with the gradual realisation by Jamie that the world which he has inhabited with his father is a fractured reality, and one that he increasingly needs to pull away from.

This is relatively small film, and very much a character piece. The chemistry between Carlyle and Fuller is the glue which holds the film together, and it is easy to imagine the script working well on the stage.

Fuller in particular gives a great performance, making you really believe in this child, on the cusp of his teenage years. While some of the problems that he is confronted with are a little cliché (the new kid having to take on the bullies for example), Fuller never makes it feel anything less than genuine.

Carlyle also does good work, and manages to make Charlie both charismatic, while also retaining a feeling of loss. Having seen Carlyle slumming in a number of recent films, it was refreshing to see his natural talent shining through.

The film falters in the final act, and doesn’t really have an adequate conclusion. It seems someone involved in the film thought so as well, and put in place a final epilogue that feels both out of place, and counter productive to the film we have just watched. It is simply not a fitting end to the work.

I know You Know is a solidly made film, with great performances. If you forgive the ending, there is a lot to like in the film.

Robert Girvan

Review: 5:13

Director
Aravind Abraham

Writers
Arivind Abraham and Kieth Leong

Starring
Samantha Tan
Iki Putra

Malaysia, 1996. Vivien (Tan) awakens on the night of her wedding anniversary to find that not only is she in the middle of a blackout, but also a radio frequency is transmitting what seems to be an emergency broadcast. Her concerns for her absent journalist husband are far from quelled by strange noises coming from outside, coupled with the abrupt arrival of hubby’s best friend Ash (Putra) – who bears a strange message and seems to know more about the current situation than he’s at first letting on. As the night draws on, old wounds between the two are re-opened and the situation outside the house seems to be worsening…

Abraham’s sophomore feature is a curious blend of politically-minded domestic drama and paranoid invasion flick. It’s not an overtly obvious coupling, but at times it works surprisingly well. Luke Yerbury’s gloomy, foreboding cinematography matches the strong sound design to suggest something deeply sinister outside Vivien’s four walls, and Abraham ratchets up the tension nobly using a single location. The film’s pace falters occasionally, as long dialogue-intense scenes punctuate the anxiety. It’s with these scenes that the surface of our characters are scratched away, revealing a relevant back-story that may have serious consequences on the film’s outcome. The two leads cope admirably enough, with special plaudits going to Tan’s conviction as the frightened and confused Vivien.

Although in context it refers to a specific time, the film’s title also happens to reference May 13th – the date in 1969 on which the Sino Malay riots broke out in Kuala Lumper, launching a national state of emergency. Abraham and Jeong’s script insinuates something similar or - given the mention of a prophetic bohmoh’s involvement – something worse is underway outside the house. It’s a deft political nod that typifies the film’s melding of the real to the fantastic, and suggests that such further attempts at genre cross-pollination may reap greater rewards.

Neth Knowles

Do you have an indie film you want us to review? If so drop us an email at james@indieflicks.co.uk

Review: Dance With Me

Director/Writer

Sasha C. Damjanoyski

Starring

Joanne Murdoch

Adam Napier

Jane Stanton

A married couple try and get away from it all at their summer home in order to enjoy a few weeks of self introspection, misery and that most bitter of diseases – the malaise of middle class life.

Newcomer Sasha C. Damjanoyski, who serves as both writer and director, has created characters for which I am not sure that even he has much sympathy. The film is centred on Neil (Adam Napier) and Alice (Joanne Murdoch), a couple faced with a number of troubles. Neil suffers from a mysterious illness that makes him come across as the most self centred man in the universe. Alice spends her days trying to escape into music and dance.

In the blurb for the film we are told that “there is no doubt of their love for one another”, but boy, you could have fooled me. They seem to be together for dependency rather than for love. They enable each others misery.

When they speak it is with the clinical appraisal of scientists assessing a species of plant life. Looking off into the distance, Neil sneers at the world with a disdain which withdraws any sympathy you may have had for him, and attempts to undercut this with humour sadly fall flat. Alice, while more driven, is so closed off that any characters who reach out to her are met with coldness.

Their friend, Lizzie (Jane Stanton), feels more grounded and generally much more upbeat than the others. Unsurprisingly both Neil and Alice seem to regard her as an inconvenience. To Alice, her friend’s relationship problems pale in insignificance to the trials that she herself suffers from. Thankfully, Lizzie is the key for the audience that this couple and their situations are ridiculous.

The actors for the most part do good work, although it feels like the script was going for a more rat-a-tat-tat style of verbal sparring than what we see on screen and Murdoch occasionally seems uncomfortable with some of the swearing that she is required to say.

Damjanoyski’s writing appears to be aiming to make a statement on the strength of relationships and the importance of facing reality. Unfortunately many moments of the script feel forced and what are suppose to be amusing asides come across more as whining at the world. Neil at times feels like a middle class Alf Garnett. Organic foods, family pack shampoos and not greeting guests at the door all suffer from his wrath.

There is also an unnecessary “tell, don’t show” aspect about the script. At one point we see Neil appearing and telling Alice something about her dancing which the film was already doing a good job of conveying visually. The direction is well done, giving the audience the feeling of being in the same room as Alice and Neil, and there is some beautiful location shooting.

Will Alice and Neil make it? In the end you come away with the feeling that these people are destined to spend the rest of their lives together, miserable and without passion. But you know what? I think that deep down they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Rob Girvan

For more information on Dance With Me please visit the official website - click

Stay tuned to IndieFlicks for an interview with Sasha to discuss his time in film and the experience he had whilst making Dance With Me.

Elemental Storage Trailer

http://www.vimeo.com/6053414

The trailer for Matthew Dixon’s first feature film, Elemental Storage, is now online. Starring Alix Wilton Regan,Jack Klaff, Ali Kemp and Giles Alderson the film follows Alice Hargrave as she looks to discover the real reasons behind her mothers suicide.

Ambleton Delight

Ambleton Delight is the first feature from Sussex University filmmaker Daniel Parkes. The feature drama, which was shot for £6000, stars former Coronation Street favourite Brian Capron and is set in the Sussex countryside.

For more information on the film please visit their official website - click