Just Jim

If you enjoy black comedy, deliberate pacing, and having to come to your own conclusions on plot ambiguity - think Barton Fink for example - then you're in for a treat. If you need a neatly resolved ending, you'll be frustrated. As the former I loved it. Excellent direction, photography, and score; tight performances - I'm looking forward to his next. Makes a good double-bill with Aki Kaurismäki's "The Match Factory Girl".

In a Welsh valley a socially inadequate schoolboy is bullied and has no friends. Then a mysterious American moves in next door and promises to turn him into a cool teenager.

Low budget black comedy set in the Rhymni Valley, this is a writing and directing debut by Craig Roberts who plays the title character. Full use is made of the local scenery but, while the film has its moments, overall it lacks a spark.

Obviously there's not much happening in that little British town. Jim tries escaping the boredom and loneliness by going to the only cinema in town where they keep playing the same old films over and over, and usually he's the only visitor. On top of that boredom he's also bullied by the other kids and, honestly, he hasn't much to offer. When that new cool American guy Dean moves in next door and tries to make friends with Jim this set-up comes across rather constructed for the sake of a plot. But the further developments seem even more unrealistic. Jim tries to come across as a "mysterious" guy but by God neither he or this film has even a hint of mysteriousness. It is one of the general challenges when depicting a boring character in a boring surrounding - the film plainly tends to get boring itself if you are not a master of subtleties or you don't bring in humor & irony. The film unfortunately lacks either of those qualities.

This is the directorial debut for Craig Roberts who also wrote this and starred in it – which is never a good idea. He takes the character he has played before in the likes of – the admittedly very good – 'Submarine' and plays him, again only in Wales. There are liberal scattering of clichés throughout and the only reason this is in Wales? It was co funded by The Welsh Film Board.

The plot is Roberts plays Jim whose best mate has stopped talking to him and his dog goes missing and then Emile Hirsch moves in next door and is ultra cool. Despite this Hirsch actually has time for him until strange things start happening and then Jim gets to grow a pair.

Now to call this slow is putting it mildly, it wears its quirky heart shakily on its loner sleeve from the start but the script is just so uninspiring and there are some massive plot holes too. I found this to be as funny as a phone directory and equally unedifying. Never write direct and star in your own vanity project. I admire Hirsch for making such films he did the same in 'Prince Avalanche' which is actually better than this. There is clearly a market for these types of films and there are some good parts to it but rating it as 'ok' is still being generous. If in doubt go for a rental – preferably getting some one else to pay for it – that way the disappointment smarts less.

This movie is a lot of things.

It's an homage (or a rip-off, you choose) of Punch Drunk Love, Mulholland Drive, and Rebel Without A Cause.

It's a teen coming of age film that takes every genre trope and exaggerates it to bizarre extremities.

It's a comedy and, in certain segments, it's fairly unsettling.

It has an extremely pronounced tonal shift around halfway through that totally caught me off guard.

The camera-work is quite good, and the film looks great. The soundtrack is fantastic and it ranges from jangling ambiance (Punch Drunk Love) to deep drones (Mulholland Drive).

For a movie that copies so much, it all feels very original. Look forward to Craig Robert's next.