Blood Orange

It goes to show what a clever filmmaker can do with a good story and just four actors in an isolated house.

Or maybe that should be five actors because Kacey Clarke as Isabelle is such a full-on sexy presence she almost counts as two people.

Bill (Iggy Pop), an ageing rock star lives with his beautiful young wife, Isabelle, in a secluded villa in Spain. It's a very nice place with a large, azure swimming pool. Isabelle likes to skinny dip at every opportunity, but this distracts the only other resident of the villa, David (Antonio Magro), the pool boy, His concerns over whether the pool has the correct amount of chlorine or if leaves have clogged the filter become a low priority when Isabelle drops her towel to do a few laps.

Still it's a pretty idyllic existence until Lucas (Ben Lamb) turns up. He is an ex-lover, but also Isabelle's stepson from a previous marriage, again to an older man. Dad left her all the dough and "he died happy" as she informs Lucas. However Lucas isn't happy and he broods.

Then things happen and I wouldn't spoil "Blood Orange" for anyone who hasn't seen it because just as in "Sleuth", a small number of people generate a lot of tension and plenty of surprises.

Kacey Clarke makes you believe the turbulence Isabelle causes among the men. Giving her a run for most arresting performance though is Iggy Pop as Bill.

Bill has gained insights into human nature, which he growls out from deep in his nether regions, mainly focussed on Lucas' shortcomings. I was never one to sleep out for tickets to an Iggy Pop concert, but he is perfect in this.

Apparently "Blood Orange" is a first effort from writer/director Toby Tobias. He's a name to watch out for, but this little sleeper will be hard to beat.

Iggy Pop is inspired casting as Bill. His performance is beautifully nuanced and controlled. The relationship between Bill and his young wife Isabelle is entirely convincing. Kacey Barnfield is an alluring femme fatale - but just how calculating is she? The plot twists and turns, keeping the viewer guessing. Ben Lamb as spoiled brat Lucas is suitably shifty. Antonio Magro makes David, the clueless pool boy, a believable character. The Ibizan setting works well - Bill strides through the landscape like the protagonist of a sinister Spaghetti Western - and the villa is an ideal backdrop for the drama to play out. Toby Tobias is a skilled director and writer who isn't afraid to take risks and knows how to ramp up tension. It's become the fashion to make overlong, overblown films. At 85 minutes, Blood Orange avoids any self indulgence and keeps the viewer enthralled throughout.

This film had little substance. The storyline was somewhat predictable, (though the ending was a surprise) - but plot holes still left this viewer with questions.

Dialogue between characters was mostly vague one-liners, volunteered without backstory or context. In particular, attempting to create a femme fatale out of Kacey Barnfield's character fell short as any insight into who Isabella was, her psyche, her history, was absent. Her character, which had promise, was left one-dimensional and under-developed by the writing. Because little explanation was given to the relationships between characters, their interactions felt facile.

Iggy Pop played the grizzled, ageing rock star role. However, the potential depth of his character was also limited by the dialogue.

Toby Tobias, Writer and Director, says 'Blood Orange' is not what it seems and he is right. This noir film draws you in from the start and keeps you on tenterhooks as at no point can you guess what will happen next when the plot twists cleverly again till the last shot. In a stunning location with only four actors (Iggy Pop, Kacey Clarke, Ben Lamb and Antonio Magro) your sympathies change direction as the story develops. The reason for this being the truth of the characters and how they reflect our stories and lives. Life, death, love, sex, relationships, money and their impact! The main musical theme by Tim Arnold works incredibly well setting the mood and moving alongside the action. You leave deep in thought about your own life choices with the strains of Money Kills Love playing in your head!

Yeah, baby. This is excellent.

Iggy cannot act to save his life, but it matters not.

Only five people in the entire film, it keeps chugging along with twists and turns right until the end.

Reminded me a little of Sexy Beast.

Good film.