A politician’s long night of the soul becomes a confusing debate on the climate crisis in Erik Knudsen’s tiny-budget drama
This tiny-budget British drama, written and directed by Erik Knudsen, begins intriguingly as the government’s energy minister goes awol a few days before the election. An energy crisis is brewing; his phone is ringing off the hook. But he switches off the lights at his detached house in Wimbledon, gets in the car and drives. From his wealth-and-privilege accent and fashion choice of blue jeans and leather lace-ups, I assumed he was a Tory – but, in fact, he’s a member of the fictional left-leaning Independent party.
This is Josh Joseph, AKA JJ (played by David Smith) and the film is his long night – and day – of the soul. There are a couple of interesting moments as he drives north listening to voicemails, and I enjoyed the camera right up against his face, registering his micro-expressions, the frustration and anxiety as he vents at an aide at the madness of a live debate with his opposite number in the shadow cabinet. (The government’s policy to massively increase wind power is a dead-cert vote loser.)