British TV auteur Stephen Poliakoff (sadly not famous in America) has a different approach to storytelling and entertainment than his peers, wonderfully exemplified by this innovative feature starring the great Michael Gambon.
He's perfectly cast as a reclusive (and then some!) billionaire who lives in London across from a house inherited from his late father, that is kept up by a servant staff but empty -no one lives there.
Young Danny Lee Wynter is hired as a sort of doorman/guard and concierge for the place, and Poliakoff uses him as a sponge allowing the viewer to look at very ordinary aspects of the world around one with wonderment. He totally vicariously through this job, befriending Kelly Reilly and Rupert Penry-Jones, who play illicit lovers he lets use a bedroom upstairs, as well as Rebecca Hall, who works in a local shop where he buys cold cuts and cheese for Gambon.
Story unfolds in elliptical fashion, as we see commonplace interactions with wide-eyed Joe. The cast does a terrific job creating characters who we only see in brief snatches, but whose depth is exposed as Poliakoff injects his major themes of loneliness and of course "getting involved", rather than living one's life (as both Joe and Gambon's character) a merely an observer.
The climax to Gambon's story is shocking and powerful. Along the day are memorable moments, particularly an elaborate semi-spoof of the popular "Antiques Roadshow", which turns out to be important to the main story and its "secret" reveal. Poliakoff's only concession to commercial and popular tastes is the fleeting images of softcore sex and Kelly's semi-nudity, 15 years before her American stardom in "Yellowstone". Co-star Danny plays essentially the same role in a Poliakoff companion movie "Capturing Mary", starring Maggie Smith.
