Everything

A middle aged man called Richard visits a prostitute called Naomi . He doesn't want sex and Naomi is unsure what he does want . Richard visits her again and his visits become more and more frequent

The only real reason I watched this was because it was a relatively old film from just over ten years ago starring Ray Winstone , an actor who no matter what he appears in always seems to be playing a London geezer called Ray Winstone but the guy is one of the most likable actors in Britain and if he was reading out his shopping list I'd still watch him

EVERYTHING is written and directed by Richard Hawkins and this was his debut feature and since then hasn't made another feature . It's hardly surprising because this type of film , a sort of cross between plot less realist cinema and grief porn was and still is churned out by British independent cinema and there's nothing to really set it out from this type of very limited market and has that sort of uncinematic feel that goes with the territory . . In fact in many ways it feels like a slightly more gritty version of EASTENDERS with a couple of characters sitting in a room getting more and more miserable and angry at the world . To be fair both Winstone and Jan Graveson are very good in their roles of Richard and Naomi but apart from that I can barely remember anything about it having just seen it

For those of us who continue to wave the flag for British cinema, perennially undermined by poor scripts or craven overtures to the States, maintaining such respect is very often like trying to love a puppy that keeps crapping on the duvet. So it's a joy when you stumble across a no-budget homegrown sporting great writing, even better performances – and which doesn't compromise to anyone.

Winstone is the mystery john who visits Naomi the prostitute (a terrific debut from Graveson) over 9 consecutive days (the film was shot in 9 days too), without once soliciting sex. He just wants to talk; to find out why she does what she does. On the penultimate day, he even brings a Monopoly set round.

If the climax doesn't come as a surprise exactly, the emotional impact remains intact, aided by heartfelt, beautifully understated performances from the cast, including Winstone's real-life daughter. See it.

This is not, as some would have you believe, a skin flick just because a hooker is one of the two main characters, It's a great atmospheric work that would make a really interesting stage play as only two sets are required. Made for a budget of £50,000 (which would not cover the Catering Budget of most movies) Ray Winstone did this for free just because he loved the script you cant get much higher praise than that ! I viewed this a couple of days after seeing him in "The Proposition" and for me confirms his status as a Clint Eastwood for our generation who seems to constantly improve the depth of his performances. Jan Gravesen the female lead was equally impressive, as I have not previously seen her in anything, at some points I felt she may actually have been in this line of work at some time ..

A solid 8/10

I'm just home from seeing this film at Sydney's Film Festival (2005) and have to say I was very impressed. It was especially rewarding to have the director (Richard Hawkins) in attendance for Q&A after the film.

The performances were captivating, the suspense was just right (you never lost interest but weren't overly stressed either) and the setting utterly believable. (NB: the locations were real, not sets).

The two main characters, although unusual, were validated by excellent dialogue and acting (Winstone and Graveson). And the story was interesting and very moving.

I always think the measure of a good film is when I'm not aware of the audience or the chair I'm sitting in. I'm happy to say I was oblivious to both.

On the downside, various jerky zooms reminded me that there was actually a camera involved and prevented complete immersion in the story outside of the storytelling. But it is nevertheless astonishingly impressive to see what a small budget ($47,500) and an enthusiastic writer/director can achieve in a 9 day shoot!

There are very visual films and there are very talky films.

Most films fall into the former category. However, one of the most famous of the latter variety was My Dinner With Andre (1984), a brilliant talk-fest directed by Louis Malle.

This little gem has no gastronomic delights and it's no intellectual heavyweight, either. It does, however, hit you between the eyes with its raw emotions and power.

Consider this as a plot: an unnamed man (Ray Winstone) spends day after day with a local London prostitute, paying her to allow him to find out everything about her. The hooker, Naomi (Jan Graveson), agrees to the arrangement initially, but soon, she begins to question the man's motivations despite the fact that he's not violent, he's very courteous, but he's very nervous and evasive about what he wants – other than to ask questions.

At a certain point, he tells Naomi his name is Richard. He asks for her real name. She refuses. But he keeps pressing for more details about her work, her life, her loves – if she has any, that is. He pays her a lot of money to talk. So, she answers his questions. And, at the end of his time each day, he leaves to go home to his suburban house and his suburban wife to watch his suburban TV etc etc.

Why is Richard doing this every day? Good question...

Were it not for the acting skill of Winstone and Graveson plus the intricate and highly charged script, I think many would walk away from this one, because the narrative doesn't seem to be going anywhere. That is, until you realize that Richard is slowly but surely gaining Naomi's trust: and eventually, Richard is no longer a john or a client. He's a friend...

So, it's when Richard finally asks Naomi to do something extra special for him that the real reason for Richard's interest in Naomi is revealed in an emotional climax that will touch all but the most cynical or hard-hearted.

So, to say any more about this very clever narrative would spoil it completely.

Cinematography and music soundtrack are excellent, although I was a bit annoyed by the overuse of quick zooms in, reminding me of the way some Asian directors do the same technique with martial arts films. That aside, it's actually very well photographed, with some unusual stairway shots. Some might say it is way too slow. Given the context of the whole story, however, I think it's just right.

Now - all of that might make you think this film is a downer. Not so. In fact, it's an object lesson in what it means when you gain somebody's trust – and the final scene between Richard and Naomi says it all...