HelenMary

Alfred Enoch was the draw here from HTGAWM, and looking for a seasonal film, and British. This didn't disappoint. Set on a commuter train, and the relationships that blossom if Brits break the cardinal riule of engaging with fellow travellers. Great ensemble cast and a sweet yet predictable story. Exactly what you want for holiday feels.

London looks amazing. The town where Adam (Enoch) lives looks stunning, and all the cast had stories to tell.

Few weirdnesses; the train they commute on - how old is it?! All the characters commuting in work within what appears to be walking distance of each other but the locations are all over the place, Enoch's accent is a bit all over the place, and Spall's acting is a little ... hard to watch, it's a bit too much for such a light film. But it adds some chiaroscuro!

Putting aside someone standing up on a commuter train and engaging with everyone, it's a believable premise and charming. The film is commentary on how we see people every day but know very little about them, how we could connect or what they would add to our lives.

The ensemble cast are mostly well known faces some big names. Typical of London, there's much more diversity than your usual film, which I loved. I really loved. Emma's character, and the actress, who's name I wasn't familiar with but who's face was familiar. She was lovely. Nice gentle chemistry between her and Adam.

A real feel good London Christmas movie. Not too much cheese, the right amount, lots of emotion, some laughs and (no spoiler) a happy ending.

Whilst less than half an hour long, this short brings the characters to life quickly. You're thrown into a single mum's life with her high school son and their struggle to get by, his teenage angst and distain of authority. He's in the wrong crowd and in trouble.

Reeves' performance is naive yet compelling. His otherworldly looks bely his aggressive character but his gentleness is there... waiting to shine through. He's believable even at such a young age. The chemistry with his mother is uncomfortable, and his large physical presence dominates some scenes. I thought he'd be aggressive with her at one point.

The film is very 80's and amateurish with starkly cut scenes, but poignant never the less. It is like an after school special (as they're called in the US) against the destructiveness of street crime on families.

I actually enjoyed watching it, it had tension and warmth and for such an obviously low budget production it had quite a punch. The acting was a little staccato, and the mum didn't seem to have much nuance or range, against Reeves' more fluid delivery, but even he was a bit line. line. line in some scenes.

Some of the production was like a college project-type film, but it's well done for what it is, and is entertaining and with a strong message.

Olivia Fougeirol plays Echo, I think. Other characters are an old man who emerges from a pool wearing a loin cloth and a bunch of grapes on a string around his neck, a horned man who speaks in a backwards gibberish and ants come out of his mouth and nose, a naked bearded man standing underneath a tree, other nymph-type friends of Echo in their white gowns, and Keanu Reeves' character - who stands on the top of a hill or by a pool looking curious, or pensive, or just very attractive. Maybe he is Narcissus. He wears a sarong.

So, black and white, about 13 minutes, edited in a naive 1980s picture in picture used in children's tv shows type of way, and with only exaggerated sound effects and no dialogue. It flashes between narrative bits and abstract emotive/expression scenes, ants crawling around, and shots of landscape. Much of the movement seems disjointed and played backwards to give more surreal feeling.

I know the story of Echo and Narcissus vaguely but this doesn't seem to fit really, although Echo left her friends and went off on her own. Then was chastised. I think.

I don't know.

As a piece of art it has much to recommend it. I'd feel a lot better if I knew what was going on and what it all meant.