New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve

***1/2

Reviewed by: Angus Wolfe Murray

Turning an excrutiating party into a fun zone is not an easy task. Can it be done in 16 minutes?

The production values of Colin Spector's film are terrific, matched by his acerbic script and pin-sharp performances. The problem, if indeed it is a problem, remains the party itself. Sane men would certify themselves rather than stay another minute.

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Upper-class boys are chatting up debutante types with the ease of natural cads. The smoothy's dim friend is being sincere and shy, a fresh approach you might think, while the sexy girl in the other room waits to be swept off her feet.

The minicab driver gatecrashes and you know what he's thinking; you're thinking the same yourself. Eventually, the smoothy, having dabbled with the sexy girl, simply as a tease, is flung out for making a pass at the hostess's 15-year-old daughter. It's all a jolly good wheeze, except it's not, because the innate arrogance of these lads knows no bounds.

The film captures the frivolity, boredom and self-involvement of a social cattle market extremely well. Trouble is, if you don't have an embossed invitation card, you won't see the point.

showing April 1. 21:30, Sky Movies Max

Reviewed on: 29 Mar 2003
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caddish behaviour at an upper-class London party for bright young things

Director: Colin Spector

Writer: Colin Spector

Starring: Keira Knightley, Stephen Mangan, Amit Lahav, Philip Herbert

Year: 2002

Runtime: 16 minutes

Country: UK

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