Kaleidoscope

In Rupert Jones' film Kaleidoscope, his brother Toby plays a loser with an ill-suited date and an impossible mother to deal with; might one, or both, of them have ended up dead? That is the mystery presented to the viewer; bizarrely, it also seems to be a mystery presented to the character, who seems to have suspicions but no certain knowlege of what he has, or has not, done. At times the film appears to be suggesting the existence of alternative realities, differently reassembled from the same underlying fragments like a kaleidoscopic image; but the idea is not coherently developed. Most of the action is set in a grotty flat that has not been decorated for decades; the characters also seem more like figures from the 1950s than anyone contemporary. I'm not sure what the Jones brothers were trying to do here; sadly, I can't say they have succeeded.

Tries at times to be an exercise in Pinter but fails. Too little dialogue and whilst the acting is good it's far from demanding on the actors. Overall disappointing as both actors can produce better.

I could see what they were trying to make but it just came off as boring and uninspired.

I watched Kaleidoscope because I love Anne Reid. The fact that Toby Jones starred was simply a bonus. As expected, the acting was wonderful. However, Toby's brother, Rupert Jones, contributed direction that was slow paced. I believe the kind term is "deliberate." Even given the heightened subject matter, the pace decreased any urgency created. This made the one hour and 40 minute running time seem much, much longer. Perhaps he was aiming for a slow burn. The burn simply didn't light. I do like the a-ha at the ending. The fact that not all questions are answered is also a plus.

Is it worth the slog? Sure. Reid and Toby Jones are great, as always. Just be prepared for a not-entirely-satisfactory cinematic experience.

Captivating and suspenseful from beginning to end. If they remade Eraserhead, Toby would get the lead. If you liked this, check out 'Dead man's shoes.'