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Benjamin
UK 2018
produced by Dominic Dromgoole, Alexandra Breede, Louise Simpson, Mark Coombs (executive) for Open Palm Films
directed by Simon Amstell
starring Colin Morgan, Phénix Brossard, Jessica Raine, Joel Fry, Jack Rowan, Anna Chancellor, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Ellie Kendrick, James Lailey, Michèle Belgrand, Gabe Gilmour, Jessie Cave, Mark Kermode, Simon Mayo, James Bloor, Robin Peters, Arnab Chanda, Joanne Howarth, Mariam Haque, Kriss Dosanjh, Mawaan Rizwan, Alex Lowe, Laura Matassa, Naomi Soneye-Thomas, Loris Scarpa, Silas Wyatt-Barke, George Jennings, Natalie L. Hancock, Ben Daniel-Greep, Andy Massey
written by Simon Amstell, music by James Righton
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Back in the day, Benjamin (Colin Morgan) was the enfant terrible
of the indie movie scene, but it has taken him years to make his latest
movie, and now he's just terribly unsure whether he hasn't missed every
beat there was. With the premiere only days away, Benjamin's PR manager
Billie (Jessica Raine) takes him to a concert, and he, having just made a
film about his inability to love, falls head over heels in love with
singer Noah (Phénix Brossard) - and fortunately the feeling is mutual,
and the two spend the night together. However, Benjamin is too socially
awkward to keep a relationship between him and Noah going, which
ultimately leads to Noah refusing to be there when Benjamin needs him
most, after the big premiere of his movie. And when the film receives some
bad press after the premiere that really crushes Benjamin's self
confidence - so much so that he lets Billie talk him to write a screenplay
together with her actor boyfriend Harry (Jack Rowan), something Harry, a
self-absorbed wannabe artist, is clearly not up to, but Benjamin lacks the
courage to tell him ... and ultimately the two land in bed. This one night
stand though only convinces Benjamin that he wants Noah in his life again,
but his efforts to get him back are crowned with varying degrees of
success - until it's almost too late ...
A very nice quiet romance that works quite as well as it's
completely unpretentious, invariably favours intimacy over spectacle, and
tells its story in a slice-of-life sort of way, and that way changing
paces between comedy and drama and back repeatedly without seeming in the
least forced. And of course, a very solid cast playing very palpable and
likeably flawed characters, and a directorial effort that gives them
enough space to come into their own help to make this a movie that's
touching in its seeming simplicity.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
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