Chandelier

I saw this movie on a wet Sunday in a movie theater in London. The cinema was packed, not because of the weather, but to see the second movie of 'boy wonder' Chris Presswell', a twenty five year old working class boy from Enfield who has got off the dole and become one of England's brightest young directors. Is the movie good? Yes, it is surprising good and reminds me of early Soderberg. Not everyone's taste, but there is a brain at work there pushing the audience to think about the story rather than the pizza they are going to have after the show. If you are a young filmmaker then you could learn from this guy who is an obvious fan of Hitchcock, but who also has integrity. Will Hollywood come and make this kid shoot bang-bang-you're-dead stuff for them? I hope not, and anyway, Chris Presswell already has his own ideas about how to kill people on screen. A good second movie for a kid from nowhere, I can't wait to see what he'll do with some real cash to spend.

This would have been a half-decent play.

The film mainly takes place in an ugly loft apartment in London, where a man (Andrew Fitch) is some sort of sick manipulator trying to engineer the perfect murder - committed by someone else.

He invites his best friend from childhood (I mean, if you could say this guy is capable of friendship), the man's wife, with whom he is having an affair, and a loquacious relative, "the Major," over for drinks and a game.

It's a very unpleasant evening, and why anyone stayed is beyond me. And it's about to get worse.

There's a twist at the end you could see coming a mile away.

I'll start by saying that I may very well be partial to this films style in general. The trailer sucked me in from the very beginning. It's well shot, well acted and tightly directed. Given the genre they were playing in I was especially fond of the score as well

As i'm sure many will tell you, any Clue (or murder mystery) fans will most definitely enjoy the ride. It's smart and well crafted. I'll be curious to see what other works the filmmakers have on hand or coming up.

Give it a go and see what you think for yourself. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well.

It surprises me that the whodunit genre seems to have vanished, with very few TV productions, and even fewer movies, a genre at one stage that was very strong. However now and then, a film like Candlestick pops up. It has all the elements of a good mystery, plot, characters, a slightly unhinged presence and a twist at the end. It looks very stylish, despite the low budget. It's well acted, perhaps not as glossy as could be, but that raw charm adds to the appeal. Andrew Fitch does a particularly fine job, enjoyed his performance very much. The Dial M for Murder influence is ever present, hats of the the writers, there is a touch of cleverness about this movie that makes it rather addictive. I love the seventies and eighties mysteries, the likes of Frances Durbridge, Ruth Rendell and Brian Clemens, Candlestick has that feel, the multi layered story with a sting in the tale.

Very impressed, 8/10

We really liked this thriller. Some people might find the writing and acting a little "arch", but if you realise that the film is clearly a reference to some classics, it works very well. There are clear nods and homages to Hitchcock, such as Rope, Psycho and Vertigo, but the film also has a real Ealing/Gainsborough Studios feel to it that adds another layer of entertainment. A cinephile's gem.