'Scenes of a Sexual Nature': not a disclaimer but a joyThe British have done it again - successfully shown how talent, ensemble attitude, prudent production values, and esprit de corps can result in a first class thoughtful comedy of life. A first outing for writer Aschlin Ditta and director Ed Blum, this entertaining, intelligent and beautifully wrought film is a veritable showcase of some of Britain's finest actors.
The concept is a simple one: one sunny afternoon on Hampstead Heath overlooking London the camera moves among seven couples acting out the sexual overtones of relationships. No, there is no graphic action here: it is absolutely unnecessary, so candid and intelligent is the script. The couples we meet are 1) Eileen Atkins and Benjamin Whitrow, two alone, aging characters whose proclivity for weekly visits to the same bench result in a courtship dance of sorts; 2) Andrew Lincoln and Holly Aird discussing their rather dry state of marriage as Andrew's eyes understandably caress the beautiful Eglantine...
Seven short stories against a beautiful backdrop...On a lovely day in Hampstead Heath, seven couples explore their relationships, find love, break up, and come to a crossroads. Most of the seven stories are not intertwined, except for a few parting glances here or there, and one man who is desperately looking to couple up with a woman for the day.
The good: I loved the story between Pete and Sara, who I thought were a lovely as husband and wife, and then realized that they were there to share the joint custody of their child, each clutching their divorce papers in hand. It appears that they still love each other, but something is not...right.
I also enjoyed the scenes between Brian and Billy (played by Ewan McGregor) a couple who are grappling with the decision to adopt a child, when Billy is having a hard time growing up.
Ludo and Esther also gave good performances. If I hadn't read the blurb on the back of the DVD cover, I would have thought that this duo had been together for years and very happy,...
Windowpanes To the Human ConditionAn enjoyable, thought-provoking set of stories that flow at a brisk pace, "Scenes of a Sexual Nature" sports a nifty set of windowpanes to the human condition, in particular what drives romantic relationships.
Set entirely within London's pristine Hampstead Heath, a vast, pristine forest and parkland, this edgy collaboration between first-time writer Aschlin Ditta and producer/director Ed Blum has a distinct, raw flavor. With above-average actors and Ditta's candid dialogue, the film feels consistently fresh and rarely forced with a wry, witty classical soundtrack by Dominik Scherrer to underscore the proceedings.
An accent or two sounds a little shaky, and the PC card may be pushed a tad too self-consciously (three mixed-race and one gay couple are involved), but this pays no ultimate disserve to the film's overall effect. Whether it is an awkward blind date, the prospect of adoption or a newly divorced couple happy to be simply acquaintances, each situation is...
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