Better Things

The cynic might argue that the British film industry appears to have been kept afloat in recent decades on a raft of social realism. And while directors such as Ken Loach and Mike Leigh have carved successful careers through their naturalistic portrayals of working-class British life, it’s refreshing to come across a more experimental visual approach to similar subject matter. In Better Things Duane Hopkins has created an unembellished, carefully crafted depiction of rural drug-addiction in the Cotswolds. His fragmentary approach to narrative gives the viewer a series of insights into the lives of both the young and old. The frequent use of stationary camera shots and measured pacing invoke a sense of confinement, futility and desolation. What lingers is the heavy atmosphere, a testament to this unique and affecting debut. This is far removed from such works as Happy-Go-Lucky, in tone, structure and aesthetic, and an exciting departure for British film. [Gail Tolley]