No Future

Hats off to the makeup department: This may be the least glamorous role Catherine Keener has ever taken on, and Charlie Heaton's very countenance is a mere shade of what we've seen from him elsewhere. There's no question that 'No future' is as distinctly, terribly depressing as other pictures that deal with the same subject matter; if this is any less outright bleak, it's only because it's not as plainly visceral in its course of events. The film explores familiar themes of its brethren that handle drug use - isolation, distrust, shame, loss, grief, spiraling despair. At the same time, this treatment of the topic is decidedly quiet and subdued, focusing less on the immediate ruin associated with abuse and more on the (inter)personal drama and devastation that follows in its wake. With that approach cemented, we get a heartfelt earnestness that's cringe-worthy and captivating, heartbreaking and absorbing. Content warnings abound for drug use, and frank discussion thereof, and simply by the nature of the content this won't be for everyone - but I find this to be an outstanding sleeper of a film that deserves far more recognition.

With the more pointedly electrifying narratives and depictions that other titles present, the performances therein are broadly of the vibrant type to readily scream "award-worthy." More low-key features like 'No future' are less likely to so emphatically capture our imagination, but that doesn't make the contributions of those involved any less worthy. Heaton's current visibility, thanks to a certain sci-fi/horror series, arguably makes him most identifiable to audiences. In protagonist Will we see the same forlorn sullenness and boiling spectrum of emotions he embodies as Jonathan Byers in 'Stranger things' - yet if Netflix's premier paranormal program allows Heaton to illustrate a slightly more adventure-oriented side of his personality, 'No future' enables him to dig deep and embrace the desolation of a character struggling on a very personal level to keep their grip. Keener is more well known to me, having enjoyed a long and fruitful career, and if Claire is less animated than some of the other parts Keener has taken on, the trade-off is tremendous pain at once hollow, stinging, and inescapable. We see it here with Heaton, too, but Keener especially wields such fantastic nuance, range, and presence that every word and every look carries multitudes - and when her voice cracks in a moment of sorrow, by the gods, it's heart-rending.

None of this is to count out the supporting cast, with Rosa Salazar and Jackie Earle Haley particularly impressing with displays of acting that nearly match the stars' in roles that serve to some extent as foils to the most prominent wreckage. Yet all of this is as much a credit to the swell cast as it is to the superb writing of filmmakers Andrew Irvine and Mark Smoot that allows the actors to inhabit their characters so freely and completely. Neither Irvine nor Smoot seem to have many features under their belts, but experience or lack thereof is no indicator of quality - indeed, in my opinion they knew exactly what they were doing, and what this picture needed. The dialogue, narrative, and scene writing shifts moods between biting, hopeful, warm, stark, jarring, and tragic and poignant. The story on hand is small in scope yet possesses an undeniable universality, and every little moment that works to build it is rich and engrossing, and very carefully laid out with what surely appears to be a practiced hand. The greatest trick of all, though, is in penning the characters, and the lead roles specifically. Perhaps I'm just projecting onto Heaton and Keener, but I feel like Irvine and Smoot very capably fashioned the structure of these figures, providing a foundation for the players to build upon as they would - and with that, the stars were given a fine opportunity to plumb the utmost depths of Will and Claire's mentalities as they saw fit. And they most certainly took advantage of that opportunity.

'No future' is rounded out with solid technical craft and work behind the scenes, and I'd be remiss not to also mention keen use of the sas song "Time after time." Moreover, I love Jon Natchez's score - minimal, and generally keeping to the background, yet definitely lending to the somber air of anguish and desperation that characterizes the movie. When all is said and done, I honestly think this is a marvelous film. It doesn't grab our attention with the same urgency as some other titles one could cite, but as far as I'm concerned that same declination of knee-jerk luminosity is a key element of what makes this so wonderfully satisfying. The hushed tone in this instance works in favor of the tale being told, and one may say it gives us a chance to see another side of the actors. And at length, once more - between those performances and the skillful writing, to say nothing of the production otherwise, I think this is a stupendous, compelling drama that's well worth seeking out. Everyone who worked on it should be proud; 'No future' earns my enthusiastic recommendation.

Wow, that was one depressing movie. That said, it was also an excellent film overall. I thought the writing was excellent. There wasn't a heck of a lot of dialogue. But the dialogue was pretty intense.

The film was slow moving, and plodding, to great effect. It had a gentle pace about it as it makes its way to the end that comes as no surprise. I won't reveal what it is, but you kind of know what's coming.

And the acting was excellent. Everyone in this remarkable movie did a great job. For some reason, this one slipped under the radar what's with people? I thought this film deserved wider recognition, for sure.

--MovieJunkieMark.

Its as addictive as real life addictiveness, therefore beware and behold to not be alone when watching this, if you are on the skid row, have been on it in your past, or if you as a parent has lost a child due to medical or drug addictiveness, because this is heartwrenching, extremely realistic scenario of the psychosociodynamics around life and death due to addictiveness. See the film and you will soon realize if your strong enough to tiptoe yourself through this, i did, and as a grumpy old man that have had family members skidding, fortunately they are still alive, but cronically anxious to fall of the wagon again, therefore i felt the clamp and cramp in my heart of this story.

The plotpace are very slow, but thats done intentionally. Its an average produced film with noextending technical features, and the wave ofhunger, shame and guilt is solely done by the main cast, with catherine keener as the mourning mum(oscar worthy), and her boys childhood friend will played by charlie heaton. They do the acts with bravour...

i guess lots of clean people will find this just above feature lenght film boring and daft, so let them be so,and pray that they will never slide the skidrow themselves. Its a curricullum worthy silver screen product that willset out emotions, and will occur inyour dreams in the aftermath.a huge recommend for ''no future''

Absolutely phenomenal performances from everyone, especially from Charlie and Catherine. Give those two Oscars already lol! Overall a very depressing movie, but in a good way that really makes you think differently afterwards, and to me that's one of the best things a movie can do. Some critics complained that the movie is diminished by its "overly simplistic script", but I got the impression that the dialogue was kept simple on purpose in order to let the actors tell the story instead, by letting their body movements, facial expressions, and vocal tones take focus over the words.

I saw this at the Tribeca film festival, and thought it was very good. Heart-wrenching with solid acting. Well done!