44 Inch Chest (2009 Malcolm Venville)

A strangely anonymous behind-camera group. Never heard of Venville not writers Louis Mellis and David Scinto, nor cinematographer Daniel Landin or editor Rick Russell. Angelo Badalamenti at least a familiar one.

I suspect the film was a bit of a flop.

The only other film I've seen with such a high 'cunt' count also featured Ray Winstone, Nil By Mouth.

Funny that we happened to watch two films back to back with numbers in their titles.

Loved the sequence of Ian McShane recounting his gambling story, mouthing the words of his losing compatriot, and his looks to camera.

I mean, it's a great cast: Winstone, McShane, John Hurt, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane; and Joanne Whalley, Steven Berkoff, Edna Doré. And, the unspeaking man - Melvil Poupaud.

What's going on? I wondered if one of the writers had suffered a bad break-up, or if the two of them met in a therapy group. But I came to the conclusion that it's simply about that - the suddenness of a break-up, the ensuing violence (whether physical or verbal), the depths of despair, the self-doubt, and ultimately - the forgiveness. Thus in Act 3, Winstone's imagining of the woman in the room, suspecting his friend of fancying her, all fits in to the self-doubt, but in this character's case, it's the realisation of the violence he has unleashed against her that ultimately makes him remorseful (despite the fact this jolly lot, who clearly know each other well, are a definite bunch of... well, cunts.)

So yes, rather play-like but well opened out. Good sound design when not a lot going on (passing trains, tap dripping), good editing.

The key moment is this:

... which is almost religious. Loved the looks of amused tolerance between the gang. And the Samson and Delilah story. And the moment Whalley does actually get help.

An underrated film, I think.