Weekend

Director: Andrew Haigh
Cast: Tom Cullen and Chris New
Releasing in cinemas: 26 January 2012
Rated: MA 15+

British writer/director Andrew Haigh, with two newcomers as leads, offers a deeply intimate film experience of a gay romance, handled with sensitivity and a passion for his subject. Weekend depends heavily on honest dialogue, delivered in a naturalistic manner, even if it’s only a few steps away from the stage. Perhaps unlikely to make your local multiplex, it should find solid audiences in the art house circuit.

Russell (Tom Cullen), a rather introverted life-guard, returns from a Friday night gathering of his straight friends and visits a nightclub where he encounters Glen (Chris New), an uninhibited art gallery curator. After a wild one-night stand, Glen asks Russell to talk about their experience, and be recorded as part of his art project. As the weekend moves along, they develop sincere and deep feelings for each other, and their intimate discussions are wide ranging, including the problems of coming out, gay marriage, representation by the media, even the sex appeal of Rupert Graves in A Room with a View.

Their time together is limited, as Glen’s shipping out to America on the Sunday evening for an indefinite period. The spectre of him leaving England hangs over much of their short relationship. After the lengthy morning conversation, their romantic weekend develops into walks, drug taking, boozing and enthusiastic sex; coupled with the meaningful (if drug-induced) swapping of secrets along the way. The end of the weekend, like Brief Encounter, comes all too soon, and the final sequence of the film is heartfelt.

Fortunately Tom Cullen and Chris New are personable characters, having the right chemistry to make it work under Andrew Haigh's gentle persuasion. It moves at its own pace, especially during those long conversations. It’s really a two-handed affair, as there are few supporting actors. Haigh has an improvised style, but he extracts exceptional performances from both Cullen and New. Haigh long worked as an editor on films including Ridley Scott's Gladiator, so he naturally edited Weekend. His first feature was Greek Pete, a year in the life of London rent-boy.

Although considerable dialogue suggests intimate theatre, visually Weekend has a documentary look thanks to cinematographer Ula Pontikos. There are subtle cinematic images, as the stark monolithic outlines of London apartment blocks, suggesting the loneliness of the tenants. Views from the 14th floor looking down to the paths below emphasize the isolation of people by reducing them in scale. The strobe-lit nightclub, writhing bodies to the pounding beat, plus the intimate and steamy sex scenes offer vivid contrast to the cold exteriors of the unwelcoming cement towers.

Weekend tends to be low key, however it may stir memories in those who have experienced a passionate romantic weekend at some point in their lives, whether gay or straight. You can't fault the acting nor the sincerity of the work.

Quoting Andrew Haigh “I wanted to tell an honest, intimate, and authentic love story – to say something truthful about the complexity of the modern gay experience. I hope that rather than narrowing the resonance of the story, the gay context helps to amplify the themes felt at the heart of Weekend, those struggles we all face regardless of sexuality.”

It’s fair to say Haigh's been largely successful in bringing his concept to the screen, marking him as a talent to watch in future. Weekend raises issues about sexuality and love which have deep resonance. This could be a little confronting for conservative viewers, but it’s a commendable film worthy of attention. 

John Bale