Weekend is the unexpectedly great lo-fi feature from British director Andrew Haigh. The boy-meets-boy story takes place in a nameless English town over a single weekend and is shot with a hyper-real feel to it. There is romance and sadness, but most of all this film just bursts with authenticity. You are so convinced of the burgeoning relationship between these two men, that certain scenes seem invasive in their intimacy. The newcomers Tom Cullen and Chris New are perfectly directed by Haigh in delivering performances that are just spot on in tone and style.
It’s written with an unpretentious feel for the way young people behave when they’re getting to know each other and is frank about the challenges & politics of growing up gay- though never being heavy-handed. Escaping the usual Hollywood trappings, this is a modern romance which creates something touching out of sharp dialogue, realistic situations and stellar performances. The mundane locations of the English town in Autumn, are also depicted with beauty by cinematographer Urszula Pontikos.
This is what real life is like, Haigh attempts to show us. When you meet someone and form a deep connection, things don’t always follow a perfect narrative from point A to point B. Weekend is really quite a rewarding and refreshing film- plus the two leads are one of the most persuasive couples on screen in recent memory.
Weekend is showing in selected theatres now. We have a few double passes to give away: to win, just tell us what your perfect weekend would be in the comments below.
