Everyone’s Going to Die.

Director:	Jones
Country:	UK
Year:	2013
Running Time:	83 mins
Principle Cast:	Nora Tschirner	Melanie
	Rob Knighton	Ray
	Kellie Shirley	Ali
	Madeline Duggan	Laura
	Stirling Gallacher	Jackie

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.

 

Jones - Max and Michael.

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.

 

An exceptional talent Rob Knighton.

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.

 

Strangers Ray and Melanie develop a relationship.