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London Film Festival · 2021

London Film Festival 2021

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10 films · 6 reviews

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7 Days

As if their pre-arranged date, organised by their traditional Indian parents, wasn’t uncomfortable enough, Ravi and Rita are forced to shelter in place together as Covid-19’s reach intensifies. Hopefully for their sake, opposites do indeed attract.

(Country: US; Year: 2021; Director: Roshan Sethi; Writer: Karan Soni, Roshan Sethi; Stars: Karan Soni, Geraldine Viswanathan, Mark Duplass, Zenobia Shroff, Aparna Nancherla, Gita Reddy, Jeffrey Self)

All My Friends Hate Me

Genuine but increasingly insecure Pete is cautiously excited about reuniting with his college crew for a birthday weekend of memories, partying and earnest reconnection at a picturesque English manor. Best laid plans, go awry.

(Country: UK; Year: 2021; Director: Andrew Gaynord; Writer: Tom Palmer, Tom Stourton; Stars: Tom Stourton, Charly Clive, Georgina Campbell, Joshua Mcguire, Antonia Clarke)

Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn (Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc)

Review preview for Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn

At times, the dialogue is well done, scores points. At other times, it felt like we had wandered into a Socratic symposium.

Jane Fae · 3.5 out of 5
Emi, a school teacher, finds her career and reputation under threat after a personal sex tape is leaked on the Internet.

(Country: Romania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Luxembourg; Year: 2021; Director: Radu Jude; Writer: Radu Jude; Stars: Tudorel Filimon, Claudia Ieremia, Olimpia Malai, Ilinca Manolache, Daniela Ionita Marcu, Katia Pascariu, Alexandru Potocean, Nicodim Ungureanu, Andi Vasluianu, Dana Voicu)

Full review See: Jude Uncovered! An almost complete A to Z to Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn

Cop Secret

Review preview for Cop Secret

This film is nothing if not derivative. Except, therein lies its beauty.

Jane Fae · 4 out of 5
Mismatched buddy cop spoof.

(Country: Iceland; Year: 2021; Director: Hannes Þór Halldórsson; Writer: Auðunn Blöndal, Egill Einarsson, Hannes Þór Halldórsson, Hannes Þór Halldórsson, Nína Pedersen, Sverrir Þór Sverrisson; Stars: Auðunn Blöndal, Egill Einarsson, Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, Vivian Ólafsdóttir, Sverrir Þór Sverrisson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Júlíana Sara Gunnarsdóttir, Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Gunnar Hansson, Jón Gnarr, Auðunn Blöndal, Egill Einarsson, Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, Vivian Ólafsdóttir, Sverrir Þór Sverrisson)

Full review See: Hannes Þór Halldórsson on his directorial debut Cop Secret , Auðunn Blöndal, Egill Einarsson and Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson on Cop Secret

The Divide (La Fracture)

Review preview for The Divide

Corsini agilely combines elements of cinéma verité and farce.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
Two women on the verge of a breakup, in a hospital, are further stressed on the night of a big demonstration by the overwhelmed staff and by angry, injured protestors who land up besieging the building.

(Country: France; Year: 2021; Director: Catherine Corsini; Writer: Catherine Corsini, Agnès Feuvre, Laurette Polmanss; Stars: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Marina Foïs, Pio Marmaï, Jean-Louis Coulloc'h)

Full review

The Good Boss (El buen patrón)

Review preview for The Good Boss

The balance of Javier Bardem's central performance as the CEO of the title is what elevates this from being another run-of-the-mill satire.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Trouble brews at a factory after a boss finds himself in line for an award for excellence.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2021; Director: Fernando León de Aranoa; Writer: Fernando León de Aranoa; Stars: Javier Bardem, Manolo Solo, María de Nati, Fernando Albizu, Sonia Almarcha, Almudena Amor, Celso Bugallo, Óscar de la Fuente, Mara Guil, Dalit Streett Tejeda, Daniel Chamorro, Yaël Belicha, Tarik Rmili, Martín Páez, Rafa Castejón)

Full review

Humidity Alert

Satire of the indie film scene.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2021; Director: Bong Soo Ko; Writer: Bong Soo Ko; Stars: Baek Seung-hwan, Lee Hee-joon, Joo Hwan Ko)

The Odd-Job Men

Review preview for The Odd-Job Men

As is almost always the case with this sort of casting, the essential 'truth' of these non-professionals is visible beneath the constructed story.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
In order to get through his one-week probationary contract, a young Moroccan plumber has to deal with equally eccentric colleagues and customers.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2021; Director: Neus Ballús; Writer: Neus Ballús, Margarita Melgar; Stars: Mohamed Mellali, Oriol Cervera, Valero Escolar, Youssef Ouhadi, Pau Ferran, Christian Ramírez, Pere Codorniu, Pep Sarrà, Judith Vizcarra Puig, Mauricio Barriga, Yuan Jing, Juan Ramón Sánchez, Paqui Becerra, Alfredo Aloisio, Hamid Minoucha)

Full review

Queen of Glory

Ghanaian-American Sarah is all set to abandon her Ivy League doctoral program to follow her married lover across the country. Her plans are derailed, however when her mother’s sudden death leaves her the owner of a neighborhood bookshop in the Bronx.

(Country: US; Year: 2021; Director: Nana Mensah; Writer: Nana Mensah; Stars: Nana Mensah, Meeko Gattuso, Oberon KA Adjepong, Adam Leon)

Red Rocket

Review preview for Red Rocket

The grooming of Strawberry may have some moments of levity but that, in many ways, makes it all the more uncomfortable.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
A washed-up ex-porn star tries to get his life back together in his hometown, sparking trouble for those in his orbit.

(Country: US; Year: 2021; Director: Sean Baker; Writer: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch; Stars: Simon Rex, Suzanna Son, Bree Elrod, Brenda Deiss, Ethan Darbone)

Full review