“The Disappearance of Alice Creed”
Written and Directed by J Blakeson; Stars Gemma Arterton, Martin Compston and Eddie Marsan. Story: Two men fortify a nondescript apartment, then kidnap a woman and tie her to a bed. Before there’s even time to react, we’re plunged into a situation that’s very nasty and far more complex than it seems at first glance.
Seen by Adam and Lars August 7, 2010
LARS:
In this summer of overproduced and mindless blockbusters, leave it to a British first-time director and three great actors to do a little indie flick that’s among the most fun and twisty delights in a while. Sometimes having no money forces you to actually have an idea. This is not unheard of in advertising either. But I digress.
“The Disappearance of Alice Creed” is the first feature length movie by the mysteriously firstnamed J. Blakeson, a British director who also penned the script for the movie. It is essentially a stage play and most of it takes place in one location. This means that you better have some damn good actors on your hands, as they will be carrying the movie, not the explosions or the swooping camera crane moves. This is not to say that there are lovely filmic touches; the first 15 or so minutes are dialogue-free as Blakeson sets the scene for what is to come. It’s nice, if a bit show-offy. Your film school friends will enjoy it!
The cast is exemplary. Most surprisingly, Gemma Arterton, whom I’d written off as a piece of fluff after her roles in “Quantum of Solace” and “Prince of Persia”. Here she gets to be fearless and show some real acting chops, not just be a damsel in distress who spouts quips and exchanges looks with the hero. Martin Compston, who has so far mostly played bit parts in British movies like “The Damn United” and “Doomsday” plays the young whippersnapper with a plan so smart it’s really stupid. If there’s any fairness in the world, this role will lead to bigger and better things for him too.
However, the real standout is Eddie Marsan. He is one of those actors that you know you’ve seen before, but you don’t know his name or where you saw him. He’s been in a ton of movies, but mostly in supporting roles. Here he finally gets to play the lead and he makes the most of the opportunity. His performance is tense and tightly wound and yet you get the feeling that he could break down and cry any moment. It’s a fascinating character study and it must have been a relief for the writer/director to see, how much humanity Marsan brings to a role that could have been a trite cliché if done by a lesser actor.
I knew nothing about the plot going into the movie, and I think the less said the better. All you need to know is that it’s the story of a kidnapping gone wrong. Enjoy.
ADAM:
Refreshing to see a good piece of filmmaking all the way through, top to bottom. That it’s the antithesis of the big summer blockbuster makes it even better, and to do all this while still being dark, dangerous and edgy and “The Disappearance of Alice Creed” is tailor-made for me. Super contained, it only features three actors, making me think that at one point the film, written and directed by J Blakeson, was a play, written and directed by same.
And with so few characters filling the screen, it’s vital that the characters have depth and be well-drawn. Check. And the performances must be realistic and top notch. Check number two. All three are excellent, but Eddie Marsan as Vic is a standout in a threesome of excellent work. His emotional roller coaster from being a sure-footed alpha male to second guessing himself and potentially emotionally collapsing like a deck of cards is perfectly portrayed. Gemma Arterton plays a strong-willed victim who runs the gamut of emotions as the reality of the situation becomes clearer and her point of view changes. And Martin Compston thrives as Danny; a seemingly timid pawn in the game, but who has more than one plan up his sleeve.
Ultimately it’s a winner, albeit a small one. But while blockbusters with print advertising budgets bigger than the cost of this entire film fail and continue to get made, small movies like this need to be seen and recommended; word of mouth will translate to more of this kind of fare — quality filmmaking — in the future.
