Wednesday, 4 December 2024

After the Party (2023 Robyn Malcolm, Dianne Taylor)

'Is he or isn't he?' And that's it. That's four and a half hours of TV. It isn't good enough. Think about Any Human Heart which is the same length - think about the sweep of that story, how much it throws at you. I know, not every writer can be William Boyd. But there just isn't enough here. That's why I like feature films. You get it in an hour and 40. The surrounding 'stories' in this - her affair with friend's husband, the young gay man, the lonely neighbour, the weirdly androgynous grandchild, are just pap. And you sense the ending is too neat, she won't get away with it. So another 'Why did I waste my time?'

Robyn Malcolm also plays the most irritating lead, who's actions you can't help shouting 'No!' at, and her ex husband is Peter Mullan, who apparently enjoyed being in New Zealand. So someone got something good out of it.



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