240. To Nowhere; movie review

 

TO NOWHERE

Cert 15

85 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex, discrimination, domestic abuse, threat

Obsession, sadomasochistic dynamics, trauma and love are at the heart of Sian Astor-Lewis's To Nowhere.

Or so I just read in the movie's media blurb.

I turned to the press release for help because I was struggling to see the point of this film about two teenage lesbian lovers (Lilit Lesser and Josefine Glæsel).

It records a day in their wayward life with sex, alcohol and abuse to the fore.

Glæsel plays Finn with such a heavy hint of mental health issues that she could do with medical help.

Meanwhile, Lesser is Tulip is in what appears to be a very submissive, bordering on abusive relationship.

She is by far the gentler and possibly more vulnerable of the pair, explaining why she puts up with physical and verbal violence.

Orlando Seale plays Stanley, the film's third main character - an older, awkward socially-inept man who seems to know the couple but whose relationship is never defined.

Anyway, the major concentration is on Finn and Tulip playing hooky to walk the streets, nip into a pub and have sex.

Unfortunately, despite the intimate nature of the relationship, the audience never has a full understanding of why the pair are together or their background.

So, we are just left with two people doing simply being hedonistic and shouting at each other. For me, that wasn't very interesting.

Reasons to watch: Intimate relationship drama

Reasons to avoid: Not as interesting as it could be

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know?  The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that 43.8% of lesbian women reported experiencing physical violence, stalking, or rape by their partners. The study notes that, out of those 43.8%, two-thirds (67.4%) reported exclusively female perpetrators.

The final word. Sian Astor-Lewis: "I wanted there to be a weightless feeling to the story, which drifts from one event to another. So the idea of a day trip driven by the protagonists’ moods and whims was a good way to explore them from many angles. Also, importantly, the final script was written to allow for our tiny budget!."

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