Caindo no Mundo

"Cemetery Junction" is Ricky Gervais's second attempt at directing a major motion picture. A fan of his previous work in television but having been disappointed by "The Invention of Lying" I was not sure what to expect. The final result was a 95 minute movie that was flawed yet very fun to watch and something to lose yourself in for a short period of time.

The plot of "Cemetery Junction" evolves around three young men in 1973 who are desperately trying to avoid spending the rest of their lives in working class Reading and ending up like their parents. The film itself is mainly a drama but there is plenty of well-placed, classic Gervais comedy throughout. The majority is setting the scene and developing the characters. However, this leads to the final twenty minutes seeming quite rushed with slightly choppy editing and throwing in a few clichés which it had previously done a good job of avoiding. The acting was brilliant for the most part, but I felt Christian Cooke (who probably has the most screen time out of the trio of friends) was a little wooden.

Overall, "Cemetary Junction" is an enjoyable film that should please Gervais fans yet can be more widely appreciated as he is attempting to do something different and, in my opinion, does a pretty good job of it.

7/10

A seductive film. A drama , like a comedy. About ages, choices, appearences, mariage, friendship, teens, love, about small things defining each of us and about freedom. A film like an old song. Not for "70's atmosphere, but for accuracy of a near reality to you feel. A film about life, in its basic characteristics and about fundamental option defining it. The best scene, reminding the portraits of Vermeer-Emily Watson preparing the tea for her Mr. Kendrick , in blue dress, viewed from open door .

Loved this film. It really took me back. They don't quite nail the period, but you can tell when Fiennes is talking about his schooldays at the start, about leaving at 14, that they're blurring things a bit, or at least his character doesn't realize how things have changed... The preoccupation with obscenity, for example, is more 60s than 70s. (They work the idea so much of the Swinging 60s passing Cemetery Junction by that it's almost homage to Tom Courtenay and Rita Tushingham and that crowd!) It's England before punk, before the computer revolution, when the establishment thought they had won the argument that there was no cause left worth rebelling for/against, when there was still a workshop rather than silicon chip flavor to working life.

You can criticize the Hollywood stuff if you like, but Gervais and Merchant like to work where they can at different levels, as long as they get to take the mick out of all of them. I didn't hear the old radio shows much, but enough to know that. This is no exception. Not a strong plot. You have seen it lots of times before. Billy Liar is a better variation. But great dialog, great comic acting , beautifully observed, very funny, fantastic soundtrack. The only time I have ever liked the Osmonds' Crazy Horses. Great entertainment. You'd need to be really hard to please to be disappointed on that score. Personally I'd have liked a bit more sync with the Reading Festival, maybe some Rory Gallagher on the soundtrack, but bluesy Zeppelin will do, I'm not complaining. I'll take 2 stars off, though.

You still have to read between the lines to see the influence Ireland is starting to have. Made me wonder if they were starting to chicken out a bit from the path they've established, but we'll see, and I think there is something there. In the meantime, if you fancy a really funny film set in Belfast (different decade, 73 in Belfast was hell) there's always "An Everlasting Piece". But Cemetery Junction is not as petty and insignificant as some of the reviewers suggest. What exactly were they expecting? "Jane Eyre"? "War and Peace"?

I can't say I'm disappointed in this film, because with Ricky's touch few things can remain boring, or uninteresting. If you have seen Ricky interviewed about this film, he'll tell you exactly what influenced him to write and direct this film. However, unlike Invention of Lying which was pretty original, though its influences were clear, one cannot look at Cemetery junction without thinking of the many, many coming to age films he or she has seen. In other words, in his other works, Ricky's influences blend in with his originality and gave a unique product. IN cemetery junction, however, his influences take center stage and dominate the film, not allowing for a great deal of originality to shine through.

This is a solid work from Gervais, and as he says, it is a beautiful love-letter to Britain. It is truly disappointing that Gervais could not make something original out of it. Maybe, I am pursuing this point fiercely, but it is the main problem of the movie. When you look at Cemetery junction, you can not stop to think of endless other films that have pursued the same content. If you are not a big movie buff, or just like to see Gervais and Merchant you won't be disappointed, but you are not going to get a highly original work as The Office.

The acting is also decent at best. The problem with the acting is not the actors themselves, but is their over-dominance on the role. They are not comfortable in playing the characters; they over-react in ways that are truly unnecessary for this film. They all want to take center stage (the main male, central characters), and this need for dominating the role really undermines the true talent that they posses.

I walked out of the theater not disappointed, but not charmed either. I can best describe my immediate reaction as indifference; it was kind of like, "oh, I just watched a Gervais' film that was okay;" unlike the admiration that I had for his TV work or earlier films.

In addition, the music in the film and the soundtrack is very typical of seventies and eighties music. I wish Gervais had chosen varied songs, similar to Tarantino, in his film. He chooses instead a large variety of popular songs by Roxy Music, Springsteen etc. They are too familiar to truly leave an impression on the audience.

Cemetery Junction is one of those poor, small British towns, where the men go to work in factories and the women try to keep their kids out of jail. Freddy (Christian Cooke) wants something different; he wants to wear a suit to work, drive a Rolls Royce home to a beautiful wife and kids in a big house. He thinks this is a more noble life to live, and at least he's doing something about it.

I'm presuming this is a personal project for Ricky Gervais. The honesty and sheer accuracy of the time shine throughout the film. "Cemetery Junction" is a slice-of-life for young men growing up in poor suburbs in the 1970s. Freddy wants to get a job, his friends just want to get out. As they strive for what is supposed to be a better life, they realize the dark truths within everybody else in the town and what awaits them in their future.

"Cemetery Junction" is not the laugh-out-loud, farcical comedy that we would expect from Gervais. It's a meaningful, subtle dramedy exploring young men coming of age. And here, Gervais himself has certainly come of age as a director, we know this is 1970s England, looking poor and spectacular at the same time, and highlighting some exceptional performances by the young cast of Cooke, Tom Hughes, Matthew Goode, Jack Doolan, Emily Watson and the beautifully angelic Felicity Jones.