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| The Nest Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute |
Tense psychological dramas don't come much more broody than this one from Martha Marcy May Marlene director Sean Durkin. On the face of it, Rory (Jude Law) is a smooth stock market trader with everything going for him. It's the 1980s and, thanks to deregulation, he's hoping to make a killing by trading in London, which means he's asked his American wife Allison (Carrie Coon) and their kids Sam (Oona Roche) and Ben (Charlie Shotwell) to also trade their US home for a rural pile in the English countryside. It soon becomes apparent, however, that Rory might not be nearly so successful as appearances suggest and Durkin uses complex character writing across the family until the unit creaks and groans like an ice flow under pressure. Strong performances across the board make this a compelling, tense watch.
Public Enemies, 10.50pm, Film4, Monday, November 10
Jennie Kermode writes: Johnny Depp gives one of his finest performances in this Hollywood take on the legend of John Dillinger. It's an interesting contrast – he's much more committed to character than usual, but the story itself is often closer to the myth than the reality, especially in its depiction of a central romance between the bank robber and a shy hotel receptionist (ably played by Marion Cotillard). The musical choices and background details suggest that director Michael Mann's central interest is in what the story meant to the desperate people of Depression-era America. He brings his usual visual flair to the action scenes, and the period automobiles and stylish suits will thrill many viewers by themselves. Christian Bale is excellent in support, drawing out the tragedy of an FBI man who finds it harder and harder to believe in the country he's there to represent.
Capernaum, 1.35am, Film4, Tuesday, November 11
The plight of children on the poverty line in Lebanon is put front and centre by Nadine Labaki's neorealist drama about youngster Zain (Zain Al Rafeea, in a performance that doesn't just show him as a victim but as a kid who is railing furiously against the injustices he faces), who runs away from home after his parents sell his sister. The story unfolds in two strands - one showing him scraping by on the street and the other in the confines of a courtroom where he is suing his parents for neglect. Although Labaki leans into the melodrama a little heavily in places, this is nevertheless a deeply affecting film that grips at a visceral level. Al Rafeea is now resettled in Norway, something Labaki told us about.
1917, 10pm, BBC4, Tuesday, November 11
It may not have really been shot in a single take but Sam Mendes First World War trench drama – shot with precision by Roger Deakens – certainly looks and feels that way in terms of tension as two young soldiers (George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman) try to stay alive as they cross no-man's land with a vital letter. Built as much on character as incident, MacKay and Chapman strike the perfect balance of vulnerability and pluck. They're aided by a string of stars who crop up in smaller roles, including Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch and Richard Madden. Mendes has said that in reality the longest shot in the film lasts eight-and-a-half minutes.
Better Things, 2.05am, Film4, Wednesday, November 12
Duane Hopkins' outstanding debut focuses on loneliness and drug taking in rural England. It is a tough watch in places but more than repays the viewer. With lingering lensing and an exceptionally detailed soundscape, Hopkins paints a unique empathetic portrait of isolation. Hopkins told us: “You can make a film cohere and you can make it come together and you can make it say something without doing the normal story plot-points that you normally have to do.”
Bourne Identity, 9pm, 5Star, Friday, November 14
Doug Liman's thriller gallops its way across two hours and a fair swathe of Europe with Matt Damon's amnesiac Jason Bourne as the CIA operative tries to remember who he is while staying one step ahead of his former bosses. It may be formulaic to a degree, but Liman keeps his foot on the throttle and breathes some fresh life into old fashioned fight scenes and car chases along the way that led to a resurgence of those onscreen in general. The film is given additional gusto by Franka Potente as a smarter than usual potential love interest.
Compartment No.6, 1am, BBC2, Sunday, November 16
If you happened to catch and enjoy Yura Borisov's nuanced turn as a henchman in the Oscar-nominated Anora, you won't want to miss him sharing centrestage in Juho Kuosmanen's tale of an unexpected connection forged on a train. Finnish student Laura (Seidi Haarla) has just had a romance with her older female lover go sour, so the last thing she needs is to find herself sharing a sleeping car on the train to Murmansk with cocky miner Lhoja (Borisov). Kuosmanen initially makes us feel nervous but this is, in part at least, a film that encourages us not to judge a book by its cover. Immersive and packed with everyday detail, this is a film that encourages you to hop aboard with its characters and spend some quality time with them.
Here’s a spot of animation for this week’s short selection – Lachlan Pendragon’s An Ostrich Told Me The World Is Fake And I Think I Believe It. You can read more about Pendragon and see more of his stop motion work on his official site.
