The description of this film being this generations Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004) definitely ring true. The film concerns the story of Charlie (Liath Hannon) who is a trans woman that has moved to Dublin for college. Jace (Adam Lunnon-Collery) is the person she meets at a house party where the film goes on to show their relationship with one another and also revealing more of their own back stories.
For an independent film that I’m sure had a very limited budget, it definitely didn’t feel this way. When there inside, it is a hostile environment for the pair where others are causing ructions in their dynamics with one another. The outside world is what prevents the pair from being happy together, and this is seen best when they are in an intimate setting. When they are outside of the house party together, this is when you certainly feel that Charlie is able to breathe and be who she wants to be. It is also where the two of them find that bond with each other that drives the rest of the film. Therefore, even if there are just minimal indoor sets and easily accessible outdoor shots, they still create this juxtaposition that plays against the inner turmoil of Charlie and the world around her.
Charlie is studying filmmaking at Trinity college and you are shown early on a film she made that recreates cinema from the silent era. She herself has many silent era qualities to the performance in the film. Her looks and expressions were enough to tell a story in itself, where Jace’s reactions were based on something deeper than just what she was saying to him. The film itself would still be an enjoyable spectacle with the sound turned off, you understand the falling for each other and also the inner turmoil from both characters without even needing to hear what they are saying.
It is a film clearly inspired by the art of cinema and creating a piece of art in itself. The film feels like a debut for a director getting their first foot into the industry which isn’t a downside at all. It feels fresh and of its time, most importantly by someone who feels close to the story. You get lost in the story of the characters pretty much as soon as the film starts, which is a credit to the performance of the main leads and also the way the film creates its own emotion and feeling outside of just dialogue.