Benjamin (15.)
Directed by Simon Amstell.
Starring Colin Morgan, Phenix Brossard, Joel Fry, Jack Rowan, Jessica Raine and Anna Chancellor. 83 mins.
Ah, the comedy-drama, there should be a law against it. Or just a little man who pops up with a broom whenever a talented comedian tries to do something serious and profound and forcefully shoos them back into their box. Not as a punishment, but as a kindness. Though the average Bergman film is a deeper exploration of the human condition than a knock-knock joke, when it comes to getting really deep insights, comedy is generally the best vehicle.
Comedian Amstell's second feature is a comedy hobbled by its desire to be taken seriously, about a filmmaker whose latest movie is a comedy hobbled by its desire to be taken seriously. When it's funny, this tale of love and despair among North London creative types is full of human truths. We really feel and empathize with the character's concerns. And it makes us laugh, which is always nice. But when it wants to be serious and deep, it is just a bunch of superficial people moping about feeling sorry for themselves.
Benjamin fears that he is incapable of love. A scary idea but as teetotal vegan you'd think he'd be used to being defined by limitations. Then he falls for a much younger French music student (Brossard) and the film reveals itself to be, ever so slightly, a North London version of Manhattan.
The characters here live in a protective bubble where they only deal with other bubble people. Real people are just the extras seen riding the bus with them. The only time they break through into their world is when a dissatisfied punter throws a beer bottle during a stand-up performance. Now the polite view is that actors, stand-ups, performance artists, PRs, filmmakers, people, fashionistas and film reviewers (all of whom feature here) are real people, but they aren't. Not like you are. In this film, every emotion is presented as a loose proposition, a notion to be raised and considered and finalised at some point in the future. It's an interesting milieu for satire but not one where you can empathize with their feelings because their feelings are so tentative.
The need to impress upon us its serious side is a pity because otherwise, it's pretty joyous. The comedy of manners is well observed and there are some cracking lines: complimenting a designer at the launch of their new chair, “I really like that it isn't something you'd like to sit on.” Morgan, who was Bosie in The Happy Prince, is marvellous in the title role. Benjamin's dithering and constant self-analysing should get irritating very quickly but he has enough charm to carry it off. And he does wonders in the final scene.
Directed by Simon Amstell.
Starring Colin Morgan, Phenix Brossard, Joel Fry, Jack Rowan, Jessica Raine and Anna Chancellor. 83 mins.
Ah, the comedy-drama, there should be a law against it. Or just a little man who pops up with a broom whenever a talented comedian tries to do something serious and profound and forcefully shoos them back into their box. Not as a punishment, but as a kindness. Though the average Bergman film is a deeper exploration of the human condition than a knock-knock joke, when it comes to getting really deep insights, comedy is generally the best vehicle.
Comedian Amstell's second feature is a comedy hobbled by its desire to be taken seriously, about a filmmaker whose latest movie is a comedy hobbled by its desire to be taken seriously. When it's funny, this tale of love and despair among North London creative types is full of human truths. We really feel and empathize with the character's concerns. And it makes us laugh, which is always nice. But when it wants to be serious and deep, it is just a bunch of superficial people moping about feeling sorry for themselves.
Benjamin fears that he is incapable of love. A scary idea but as teetotal vegan you'd think he'd be used to being defined by limitations. Then he falls for a much younger French music student (Brossard) and the film reveals itself to be, ever so slightly, a North London version of Manhattan.
The characters here live in a protective bubble where they only deal with other bubble people. Real people are just the extras seen riding the bus with them. The only time they break through into their world is when a dissatisfied punter throws a beer bottle during a stand-up performance. Now the polite view is that actors, stand-ups, performance artists, PRs, filmmakers, people, fashionistas and film reviewers (all of whom feature here) are real people, but they aren't. Not like you are. In this film, every emotion is presented as a loose proposition, a notion to be raised and considered and finalised at some point in the future. It's an interesting milieu for satire but not one where you can empathize with their feelings because their feelings are so tentative.
The need to impress upon us its serious side is a pity because otherwise, it's pretty joyous. The comedy of manners is well observed and there are some cracking lines: complimenting a designer at the launch of their new chair, “I really like that it isn't something you'd like to sit on.” Morgan, who was Bosie in The Happy Prince, is marvellous in the title role. Benjamin's dithering and constant self-analysing should get irritating very quickly but he has enough charm to carry it off. And he does wonders in the final scene.
