11 Jun 2012

Waiting For The End Of The World ★★☆☆☆



Review of 'Waiting For The End Of The World' which can be found here at the BBC Film Network.

Length: 06:32
Written & directed by Lee Deaville
Genre: Drama
Date: 2009
Rating: ★★☆☆

Logline: A nightshift worker in a supermarket goes about his business.

The logline says it all. (Actually, so does the title) There's no real plot, character development or even change within this film. It starts as it ends. Having vast experience in working both in supermarkets and doing nightshifts, this drama comes across more as a documentary than anything else. This is a guy just doing his job in a dull and uninteresting manner. Plus there is the distinct lack of drama, something one might kind of expect in that genre.

Robert Haythorne plays Petr, the worker in hand. He does a good job and is playful with the character given the limited part. No lines, as Peter Mucha does all the voiceover, which is okay. The dialogue, like the plot, isn't very engaging or particularly insightful. The monotonous dialogue and repetitive imagery is probably trying to convey the similarly boring, thankless and uneventful life of the character. If that is the case, the film works well. Unfortunately, there is an audience to consider and they are less forgiving towards films where nothing much happens.

On the plus side, the shoot looks well planned, has some nice camera angles and descent shot composition. Lighting is done to good effect, juxtaposing the cold and lifeless store to the sometimes intense colouring in between. The soundtrack is muted, subtle and great at creating atmosphere.

Ultimately, in waiting for something interesting to happen in this film, you may as well indeed be waiting for the end of the world. So good film for supermarket workers, bad film for audiences.

Best Bit: Camera work.

Worst Bit: Nothing happens. Oh, and the rubbish handwritten name tag.

Final thought: Typical Tesco's, forcing one person (illegal immigrant most likely) to restock a whole shop single handed, seven day weeks and in the middle of the night.

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

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