Language : English
Director : Philip Barantini
Writers : Philip Barantini, James Cummings
Cast : Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Alice Feetham.
Genre : Drama | Thriller
Imdb: Boiling Point (2021)
Disclaimer: Slight spoilers follow (regarding the nature of the ending).
Food based movies, in general, fall under the category of feel-good dramas. We have watched a plethora of films from different regions and languages narrating tales of self-discovery/realization by placing food at its nucleus. But ‘Boiling Point’, directed by Philip Barantini works as an antithesis of all those ‘light hearted’ feature films.
This 90-minute single shot drama, presents the events that occur during an evening at a restaurant, focussing primarily on the main chef, Andy Jones, played by Stephen Graham, and his colleagues. While most films depict a colourful and happy environment within the kitchen, Boiling Point depicts the unforgiving and stressful nature of the job.
Boiling Point is a welcome detour from the usual plot tropes that one would associate with a film that deals with food. The pressure being built is on point and the usage of tight frames and close ups increases the tension each passing minute. The minimal usage of music makes sure the dreadful nature of events is passed onto the viewers in its full magnitude. On the flip side, the ambiguous ending could have been done away with. Everything seems sorted by the end of the runtime and as a result the open-ended climax fails to create the required impact.
The performances are top notch with Stephen Graham owning every bit of the character. The traumas and breakdowns of Andy were superbly brought to screen by the actor. Vinette Robinson gets the next best role and she too gives a great performance. Even though a very understanding character, the situation pushes her to take drastic decisions which results in a number of altercations which make for some of the best scenes of the film.
Overall Boiling Point is a successful venture both technically and conceptually. If you’re a fan of watching cinema in its diverse forms and genres, this one is definitely recommended.
Verdict : 5/7 stars
Excellent.
Trivia:
Originally there were going to be 8 attempts at filming, twice per evening for four days in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was escalating in the UK. After the first day, Stephen Graham and the producers decided it was too dangerous to have so many people together, so filming was cut short to just two days, resulting in only four takes – the third of which was used for the final film.
Filmed in a single shot. Props were hidden in various places around the set and taken out when the camera was elsewhere.
Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters are married in real life
Stephen Graham and Philip Barantini both starred in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (2001).
