Following

Starring: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Thriller
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Jeremy Theobald) begins following people around, just observing them. However, his innocent game becomes more dangerous when he meets a like-minded fellow (Alex Haw) who takes it one step further- he breaks into people's houses and goes through their belongings. This becomes increasingly dangerous and illegal.

Review:

Tim: Following is the film that really jump started the career of director Christopher Nolan. He obviously achieved more success with the far superior Memento, but this movie is an interesting specimen on its own. It is a small, independent movie, shot in black and white. It is almost devoid of ambition, instead focusing all its energy on telling a small, odd tale. I didn't love the movie, but it was interesting enough.

Nolan made some serious errors that prevent this from being a great movie. I love the concept of "following" people, but this wasn't played up nearly as effectively as it could have been. I wish more focus had been placed on this, especially since the game of following disappears rather quickly in the film. There was a huge opportunity here for this to have a huge impact on the audience.

Nolan allows this film to jump around in time, but this isn't readily apparent. It took me quite a while to discover the film wasn't necessarily being told in chronological order. This revelation is impressive, especially when you realize all of the ramifications of what you've been watching. The movie does take several unexpected twists and turns, which keeps the audience paying attention. Sadly, I wasn't effected on any deeper level. This movie is entertaining on a very surface level. Nolan would dive deeper in films like Memento, Insomnia, and The Prestige. This is obviously the work on a talented man still discovering his talent.

The cast give good performances, but none are particularly memorable in their own right. Jeremy Theobald is somewhat enjoyable in the lead role, but keeps the audience at quite a distance. We never truly identify with him. Alex Haw gives a very odd, occasionally creepy performance. I enjoyed watching him on screen. These two men work well enough together, although I still wish they had been better. Lucy Russell is fairly good in her role, but like the rest of the cast, doesn't make the impact desired.

Following is a small film where the genius of Christopher Nolan lurks in the shadows. Since directing this movie, he has really come into his own. Had he the opportunity to direct this movie at this stage in his career, I believe it would be much, much better than it is now.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6.5


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight