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Following on DVD (1999)

Following cover art
Play Following trailer
Average rating: 63%
1216720151723
3.0
from 727 members
 
Starring: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell, John Nolan
Director: Christopher Nolan
Studio: MOMENTUM PICTURES
Run time: 70 mins
Certificate: 15
User collections: Hard hitting but little known movies, Mixed Moods, Non-linear narratives, Notably good previous rentals from lovefilm
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Released: 07/07/2003
Also Available on: Also Available on: DIGITAL

Brief synopsis of Following

Bill (Jeremy Theobald) is in trouble. He's a writer who, when bored with pounding the keys on his Remington, goes into the streets to follow people. He becomes so obsessed with following them that he has set up rules--like not following them when he discovers where they live or work. Then, one day, he breaks those rules. And, as he explains to the policeman he is telling all this to, "that was when the trouble started." Bill gets closer and closer to those he is following. He follows one man into a restaurant, and is startled when the man, Cobb (Alex Haw), confronts him. Cobb, too, is interested in people--but he doesn't follow them, his interested is peaked by robbing them. Bill joins Cobb in breaking into an apartment. So begins FOLLOWING, Christopher Nolan's fiendishly clever first film. Nolan was director, screenwriter, co-producer, director of photography, and co-editor, and only able to shoot on Saturdays--the filming took a year. Set in the grimy streets of London, the tightly wound thriller unfolds in a series of overlapping plots, each more intricate than the last, each pulling Bill deeper and deeper into ever worse trouble. FOLLOWING may be short in length and cheaply made; it is also devastating.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Shot around Soho at weekends on 16mm monochrome, Christopher Nolan's feature debut is a tortuous flashback thriller that, regrettably, attempts one twist too many. The opening segment is filled with sinister promise, as people-watching wannabe novelist Jeremy Theobald is played at his own game by Alex Haw, a burglar who claims to be able to define his victims' personalities by their possessions. Alarm bells sound once Lucy Russell joins the fray, however, as intriguing character study is abandoned for structural and narrative contrivance. For all the deadpanning of a committed cast, this is ultimately a misfire, but a fascinating and unusual one nonetheless.

Los Angeles Times

"...FOLLOWING is a taut, ingenious British neo noir....Nolan relishes the sheer nastiness he keeps stirred up, unabated for 70 minutes..."

Time Out

Shot at weekends on a shoestring, Nolan's 16mm b/w feature is more Shallow Grave than Shane Meadows. Blocked writer... Read more on www.timeout.com

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 3 starsRough little diamond

Clucky from Cardiff, Wales , 16/04/2004

This is an assured piece of film making from Nolan whom obviously used this low-budget film to fine-tune his editing skills. Whilst the film never develops the same levels of intricacy shown in Memento, the plot is nonetheless engaging and the characters are allowed to develop throughout the film. The acting is commendable considering the lack of experience amongst the cast, although at times the dialogue can be a little cumbersome. At a running time of only 70 minutes you can?t go wrong renting this.

3 and a half out of 5.

  10 out of 15 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsno-budget calling card film from Christopher Nolan

PaulW from Herefordshire , 18/11/2003

Fans of "Memento" will be drawn to this no-budget calling card film from Christopher Nolan. The same elements are there: black-and-white film stock, unusual camera angles, time-fractured storytelling and the sense that everybody apart from you and the main character knows what's going on.

There's an excellent commentary from Nolan, describing the guerrilla tactics involved in this type of film making, but the multi-angle view switching between the finished film and the shooting script does not work as well it should (because of poor DVD production not because the idea's bad).

It's clever and intriguing; and it shows how a good script, good acting and imaginative direction count for more than mere money, but don't expect another "Memento". This is more like a rehearsal.

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsGreat Little Film To Follow

Lighthouse from BRIGHTON , 08/03/2004

So The Director of this film goes on to make some great movies. But with this in mind is this film worth the time and effort? Well of coarse it is. 'Following' is like the film noir of the fifties. It has pace and acting that keeps you engaged for the seventy odd minutes.

So is this film good enough to stand alone? Yes it is. A shame then that without the big budget films that follow, 'Following' would have stayed virtually unknown.

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsQuality low-budget fare

Isaac from London , 07/01/2005

In this film Christopher Nolan hones the time frame splicing technique he goes on to perfect in the brilliant Memento. A good but fairly simple story made more interesting by a couple of twists and the constant demand to place the events in chronological order to try and make sense of what's going on before the film's conclusion.

I believe this film was made in Nolan's spare time while he held down a full time job, filming his friends and editing it together every spare moment he had. Just goes to show that with talent and a little innovation you can produce excellent films with little or no budget. A cut above, 4 stars.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 3 starsIf You Loved Memento You Will Love This Movie

BONAFIDEFILMS from West Midlands , 09/03/2004

I saw this movie after I saw Memento. I was very impressed with Memento so when I saw this at the local video store, I decided to check it out. I was equally impressed with this little film. I like black and white films so that was bonus, especially for a noir film. I thought the acting was very good by actors I have never noticed in other films. It is short and makes you think, which you can't state about many films. I loved to guess where a film is going and 90% of the time I know the general outline of the film and where it is going in the first 10 minutes. Nolan's films are never that easy to decipher at first glance. I won't spoil the film other than to state the protagonist of the film is not talking to his shrink after he has taken his stalking too far at the beginning of the film as I originally surmised. This movie is basically a rough draft for some of the ideas and themes Nolan would later explore and exploit in Memento. It works on its own and if Nolan had never done anything afterwards would still be a major talent.

4 stars!

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsGreat Little Film To Follow

Lighthouse from BRIGHTON , 08/03/2004

So The Director of this film goes on to make some great movies. But with this in mind is this film worth the time and effort? Well of coarse it is. 'Following' is like the film noir of the fifties. It has pace and acting that keeps you engaged for the seventy odd minutes.

So is this film good enough to stand alone? Yes it is. A shame then that without the big budget films that follow, 'Following' would have stayed virtually unknown.

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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