Director:
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Jones
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Country:
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UK
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Year:
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2013
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Running Time:
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83 mins
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Principle Cast:
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Nora Tschirner
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Melanie
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Rob Knighton
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Ray
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Kellie Shirley
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Ali
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Madeline Duggan
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Laura
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Stirling Gallacher
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Jackie
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Various elements go to make a good and enjoyable film. One
of these is of course the quality of the writing and the British two person collective
known as Jones appears to have a real knack for great dialog. It transposes
this movie into a one that exceeds all expectations normally associated with a
low budget independent film that is funded privately by individuals giving
small amounts of money. Max and Michael who comes from London form this working
collective who between them wrote, co-produced, directed and edited what is their
debut feature film.
Both the title of the movie and 2013 EIFF World Premier tag
line a gangster screwball comedy are
a little misleading. The comedy is more black than screwball, its not a
gangster film either, although the main character Ray is kind of
gangster, anyway he wears a black suit and unwittingly carry’s a gun! Ray
travels to a British seaside resort, which greatly resembles Folkestone, to
visit the family of his dead brother who he has not seen for many years. They
live in the house were Ray spent his childhood, a place which only evokes bad
memory’s. He’s not in the town long
before he meets, quite by accident, the attractive 29-year-old German émigré
Melanie who is swiftly falling out of love with her boyfriend. It’s this
developing relationship that the film is about. You know the type of thing, an
interlude in one’s life than can change you for good but does not necessary
lead anywhere. Here we have two lonely people away from home who are both going
through a personal crisis and find solace in each other company.
I’ve already mentioned the wonderful dialog but even that alone
would not be enough without actors than can bring it to life. In his first
major film role, new discovery Rob Knighton executes his lines with perfect
comedy timing. German TV and film
actress Nora Tschirner is faultless in the role of Melanie, and her 8-minute
single shot monolog in Ray’s car will have you spell bound. This scene also
highlights the wonderful lighting and framing by DOP Dan Stafford Clark. It’s a
movie which knows what its doing, its eloquent tone, its appropriate soundtrack
all add to what was probable one of the best British films at the 2013 festival and one I would certainly want to see again.
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