This intoxicating kitchen drama is as exciting as it gets. Can Graham handle the heat, or does it all become a little too much?
“It’s unpretentious, it doesn’t over complicate itself, it’s simple” says a food critic about chef Jones’ food, but she could have very easily been talking about the structure of this film – I couldn’t have put it better myself. Films that often incorporate this single continuous shot like appearance, are sometimes pulling the wool over your eyes; using clever cuts to camouflage the mirage, which is what we see in Iñárritu’s Birdman – the idea was there but the illusion is ultimately a lie. This apparition isn’t always fabricated though, it is a style used famously in the past, with films like Sokurov’s 2002 historical piece Russian Ark being one that comes to mind. But Boiling Point can be added to that list, being one of the few films you believe was created this way. There doesn’t seem to be any joins, the dialogue isn’t always fluid, but that is what adds to its authenticity.
This low budget kitchen drama is as exhilarating as any blockbuster, it is anxiously thrilling and incredibly real; you can feel it boiling up, knowing it will explode at any minute. It strips everything back about the restaurant life, allowing you to feel the intensity, and experience the stress, it all adds to the flavour in the pot. Boiling Point is the living embodiment of a panic attack; slow build-up which accumulates to a show stopping finish, as it all becomes too much – I’m sweating even thinking about it.
There really are no more superlatives to describe Stephen Graham anymore, he brings so much personality and passion to his performances (and the role doesn’t matter) – he is turning into one of the great modern British actors – and his acting here is no different. Graham plays Andy Jones, the head chef of a top London restaurant on the last Friday before Christmas – even that is enough pressure for my liking. Andy tries to balance his hectic home life, something that we get an inkling of from the beginning, and the added stress of one of the busiest nights of the year. A meticulous health inspector puts the staff on high alert for the night, and Andy must try his best to diffuse the evenings problems before they get out of hand.
Assisting Andy through the night is his sous chef Carly (played brilliantly by Vinette Robinson) and Freeman (Ray Panthaki), the restaurants other chef. Carly’s calmness under pressure soon gives the impression that she is the one who’s been holding down the fort in recent times, due to Andy’s steady decline (the first intricate detail that this film is more than initially thought), a situation all the other staff members are aware of. Carly’s explosive tirade on her supposed “manager”, as the pressure starts to mount, is a joy to watch.
That isn’t where the stress ends though, because there is the added pressure of very difficult customers, ranging from an arrogant racist patriarch to a very rude group of social media influencers (this is an annoying group), and a customer with a nut allergy that wasn’t shared with the kitchen staff – something that is bound to cause problems at some point. The supporting cast are great though; as well as Robinson, Jason Flemying is the smarmy T.V. chef, Alistair Skye (played with such passive aggressiveness), a man who “trained” Andy. Skye constantly comments on his protegee’s food, making subtle hints about the menu reminding him of his own, much to the displeasure of Andy. And yet, he assures Andy that he and the surprise food critic are “here for him” – yeah, like that’s the case.
From very early on you realize that this is more than just a cooking film, there is no singular focus on the heat of the kitchen, this is very much a character observation; people’s psyches are being tested throughout the night; through stress, anger, and a need to get the job done. The narrative is way more complex than first meets the eye, it goes way deeper than first imagined; there are dark secrets being explored, starting with Andy’s financial relationship with his former mentor, as well as his other personal demons involving drink and drugs. These delicate problems are the grit of the film, they don’t just affect Andy, but it affects his restaurant and his staff – it will all implode at some point.
This film is a blockbuster without the budget, but with all the excitement. Liverpudlian director Phillip Barantini evolves the story expertly from his short film of the same name, and with the gifted eye of Matthew Lewis behind the camera, we get to feel the heat of the kitchen. It is a fantastic little film that is molten hot with action, and filled with anxiety, temperatures are festering and the performances from a few are just explosive. There is such great attention to detail that makes itself known, and if you’ve ever worked in a kitchen like I have, this becomes alarmingly apparent. It captures the very essence of high-octane kitchen work; not leaving out any important ingredient, and even adding its own concoction of spices to the already overflowing pot of emotions.
Boiling Point is available to rent from Amazon Prime and in selected cinemas.
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