This indie drama got a lot of attention from critics on release and picked up some BAFTA noms too. It’s a languid, dreamlike trawl though the memories of a young woman. An “emotional history” – recalling an idyllic sunshine holiday in her childhood with her father.
Frankie Corio is a breakout talent, playing the 11-year old girl at the centre of this. She gives a stunningly naturalistic and charismatic performance. I suspect she’s going to be a huge future star. Her father is played by Paul Mescal, who gives a great, understated performance. He’s the kind of guy who can “act with his eyes” and there’s great believable chemistry between father and daughter in this film. The cinematography, shot mostly on 35mm Kodak film, is really quite beautiful. And the score and sound design are rather mesmerising in places.
If this was a short film, I think I would have loved it. But the problem is, it’s a 102 minute long feature film and there really isn’t enough in there to sustain that kind of runtime. The performances are great, but the characters they’re portraying are just not very interesting. They are ordinary people, in the worst, most depressingly dull way. And for a “drama” there’s a serious absence of drama on display. Every time you think there’s a whiff of escalating narrative tension developing, it shuts down right away. It’s like having a boring neighbour who insists on making you watch their holiday videos. It’s self-indulgent – a film made only for the director.
When I think of how many amazing directors and great scripts I know are out there, it almost staggers me that a film as self-indulgent and lacking in mass appeal as this one got funding, It’s not a film without good qualities, but the problem is, the good qualities have been wasted in support of an anaemic story. Disappointing.
