I was lucky enough to catch this no-budget film when it was first shown at our university. The director used to attend here so he decided it apt to have a screening for those who were interested before he took it to film festivals across the UK. What first struck me about the film is how good it looks for the money it was made for. Most student-type/low budget films tend to be hand-held, poorly lit, and just generally hard to watch (Colin would be a recent example) but each frame was well composed. We're not talking Roger Deakins type impressive cinematography but we are given a professional standard.
As for the story, I found the pace was a little steady in the first third, but it had to be, as it is leading you into a false sense of security. After we saw the film, we were discussing it and none of us could think of anything that could really be taken out, which is a credit to the film-maker as most low-budget films just seem to go on forever.
All the actors (I'm assuming they were first time/non-professional as there is no connections to other films listed on IMDb) were good, some impressed more than others but no-one struck me as bad which tends to be another problem with low-budget films.
The ideas within the film are really what make it stand out. When you have no budget, all you really have to rely on is ideas. Symbols scatter the background; quotes from great historical figures are thrown around with blatant disregard for if anyone will get their true meaning.
There is a great deal of depth that you really just don't get from films with this little a budget (aside from say 'Primer'). The creator obviously was influenced by Taoism, and the idea of humans controlling their lives. There is also a nice little repetition in the film (which I don't wish to spoil), which shows how people are doomed to repeat the same mistakes – how fragile the human condition can be.
The character dynamic between Charlie, Elliott and Alice is what holds the film together. All the characters are believable but these are the ones at the centre. What kept me watching and quite gripped was the question 'Why is Charlie doing this?'. At first he is charming then things slowly start to taint. The climax is subtle and rewarding. The final shot is ambiguous which I greatly admire.
The only fault I can think of is the pacing which can lag at times but the film is overall a rewarding experience with much to analyse and discuss afterward. There is no black and white, everything is left grey and the hardest moral question to answer is 'was it the right thing to do?' Arguably this isn't a film that most film-goers will 'get' and therefore it will have a limited appeal. But if you are looking for a literate, smart film, which will make you question how you live your life, you're in for a treat.
