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Third Star
R2 - United Kingdom - Independent Distribution Review written by and copyright: Jon Meakin (26th September 2011). |
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The Film
 Third Star is a story of a dying man’s camping trip with his friends, probably his last opportunity to return to Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, his favourite place in the world. While it immediately sounds self-important and you think you’ve probably seen this sort of film one too many times already, it is so brilliantly written with an easy charm that it effortlessly draws you in. For a while, it is a wonderful ode to life and an optimistic yet realistic tale about male friendship. It can’t maintain the standard, but nevertheless, it’s an easy recommendation. The first star of this film is the cast. Benedict Cumberbatch is possibly the finest actor of his generation (Sherlock, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and he is superb here as the terminally ill James. His is a genuine character, with melancholy humour and no self-pity to speak of, which is good news for the audience as this kind of emotional role can easily feel manipulative. In the rare moments when he is alone, you see his fear and regret written in his face, while with his friends he can be unpredictable, ranging from noble to arrogant “prick”, as they call him at one point! The relationship between the men is absolutely convincing and the film hinges on both their banter and bickering, because like any good solid friendship, they occasionally hate one another! There’s a refreshing lack of exposition at the start and the film is at its best when merely free-wheeling. Literally so, in the strange buggy-cum-wheelchair, with a tree strapped to the back. Yes, I did say ‘a tree’. They intend to plant it as a tribute to James. Tom Burke, JJ Feild and Adam Robertson are inspiring as the loyal friends and with Cumberbatch, they easily hold the focus during the most random scenes (a bar brawl is fantastic fun in particular). We could all do with a group of mates like this, whether we were terminally ill or not. The key to them being so convincing is in the dialogue. It’s very natural so the banter never feels forced, yet you’ll laugh out loud as if they were telling finely tuned gags and the whimsical script has a neat habit of diffusing itself before it gets too serious at several points. A discussion about what happens when you die, the notion of faith and religion, etc, is ended with one of the friends protesting, “don’t piss on my Nirvana”! Possibly the best scene is merely a conversation with an odd beachcomber, looking for washed up “brown Darth Vaders”! Hattie Dalton’s clever direction means the film never drags or feels episodic. And she works at it too. Maybe she could have got away with just making sure the camera was always pointing at the brilliant cast, but there are some great scenes making the most of the landscape. A stand-out moment for me was wild ponies being startled by the guys, or a nerve shredding attempt to get the frag ile James down a steep slope. How I wish the film was like this all the way through. The loose, rather random nature of the plot could have been pursued to become something profound, something that looks at how terrible and cruel cancer is, without being maudlin; but instead it’s as if the narrative loses nerve about halfway. Clues were there from the start, if I’m honest. The background to each friend is so convenient that only the most optimistic viewer will believe it was always going to be ignored. And then there are the awkward moments that are clearly setting up The Big Finale. The last act especially feels contrived and false, playing safe by turning into a soap opera, complete with needlessly sensational twists. Worst of all, the purity of the friends’ relationship is undermined by a need for drama and conflict to expedite a story none of us actually wanted; the characters, including James, don’t feel so real anymore, but merely designed for a purpose. A jarring agenda to the s tory becomes unavoidably clear and suddenly a film that seemed to understand the quiet, awful nobility of cancer seems to understand nothing at all, wasting the incredible build-up on an immature denouement with no sense of consequence. The fact it is still so powerful and moving is testament to the cast, but I can’t avoid the sense I was now being manipulated.
Video
The photography is excellent and it translates well to DVD, making good use of a 16:9 full image that is consistent throughout. Hattie Dalton’s confident direction takes in landscapes, mysterious dream sequences and point of view footage from a hand-held camera the guys have with them and yet the various sources flow seamlessly, making for a film with a strong and vibrant look.
Audio
Standard Dolby Stereo track in English, clear and well presented. Nothing of interest otherwise in the content and no subtitles.
Extras
There is a “Behind the Scenes” feature, but it’s very slight. About 4 minutes long and just talks about how the four actors spent time together and helped out on set so they could convince as real friends. The real value of the extras is in the two marvellous short films (both under 15 minutes) from director Hattie Dalton: ‘Banker’ won a BAFTA and stars Michael Sheen as an attendant at a sperm bank. It’s funny, grotty and slightly disturbing! Highly recommended, as is the very funny ‘One of Those Days’ with Derek Jacobi. It imagines Judgement Day has arrived and how the administration would work! Jacobi is great as a reasonable chap who has nevertheless had his paperwork mixed up with an infamous figure from history. Can he and his wife negotiate their way out of a bureaucratic nightmare and make it to heaven? Great stuff with a superb ending and you might never consider Derek Jacobi in quite the same way again.
Overall
It’s a great shame that Third Star couldn’t quite deliver, but when it’s at its best in the first hour or so, it’s a fantastic gem. Cynics will have the story figured out early on and it pains me to say they will be absolutely proved right despite the superb first half avoiding the very conventions it eventually gives in to. While the ending is undoubtedly moving, it leaves you with a nagging sense that there was a sudden lack of thought for the consequences. You might rightly feel short-changed by a production that ultimately fails to have the courage of its early convictions and becomes selfish. Yet I still implore you to see it! Those characters, the dialogue and those performances deserve to be seen and for a while at least, it's sublime. Hattie Dalton’s short film work sweetens the deal on the DVD though, almost making it a must-buy, and demonstrates that the main feature would have been a more satisfying experience if it wasn’t weighed down by the last half hour of nonsense.
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