2AM Favourite Films - Nick's Choice

Here at 2AM Films, we love all things cinematic and over the next few weeks, a different 2AMer will take on the filmic chalice and tell us their favourite films...

This Week its our MD Nick Crabb's choice....

Current Favourite Film: Cemetery Junction

Production year: 2010
Country: UK
Cert (UK): 15
Runtime: 94 mins
Directors: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant

In 1970s England, three friends spend their days joking, drinking, fighting and chasing girls. Freddie (Christian Cooke) wants to leave their working-class world but the other two are happy with life the way it is. When Freddie gets a new job as a door-to-door salesman and bumps into his old school sweetheart Julie (Felicity Jones), the gang are forced to make choices that will change their lives forever.

This film clearly takes influence from British New wave films such as ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, yet oddly enough it also looks strangely like a US coming of age film, which has been skillfully transplanted to a brit setting. Its a real homage to the 70’s so anyone who grew up in that time will enjoy the reminiscent scenery, fashions and mentality of an era gone by.

There are three main charactars, Freddie, who wants to move on and grow up – ideally, with Julie (the smart and talented daughter of his snake-eyed insurance-firm boss Mr Kendrick (Ralph Fiennes). Then there’s Snork, who’s coveting the girl in the greasy-spoon, and is tired of playing the fool. Bruce’s single father drinks away his pain while his son vents through brawling and copper-baiting.

Ricky Gervais himself has a small role as Freddie's dad. When he's on, the film is properly Funny. When he's not, it's still very Funny and Heartwarming. The story slips along perfectly successfully and the 70s setting is careful and affectionate without the menace or real depression evoked by Life on Mars or the Red Riding films.

Overall it’ll have you in Stitches from start to finish, I mean who ever knew that Gervais and Merchant would be such natural born filmmakers . Here they show great flair for pacing, detail, mood and character. Aside from all the famous faces (Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson,Matthew Goode), it’s an energetic and enduring drama that chews on big themes (ambition, ageing, family breakdown) with a perfect blend of sweet and sharp.