Following
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alex Haw, Dick Bradsell, Jeremy Theobald, John Nolan, Lucy RussellBrand: THEOBALD,JEREMY
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 69 minutes
Published: 2001-12-01
DVD Release Date: 2001-12-11
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Following
Movie Review: The Original Piece Of A Cinematic Artist
Summary: 5 Stars
Ever heard of MEMENTO? I thought so. How about those two new BATMAN movies, especially the one with The Joker? You can't walk the streets without hearing about those flicks. What about INSOMNIA or THE PRESTIGE? Because of all the A-list talent involved, chances are pretty good you at least heard of them.
How about FOLLOWING? Me neither. I have been an ardent fan of Christopher Nolan for a few years. But after watching THE DARK KNIGHT, it was time to find out whether my personal myth of this genius was always true. Was he always this good? As it turns out, Nolan's instant masterpiece MEMENTO wasn't the first project he tackled. I still had yet to discover this debut feature.
Ever since hearing about this movie, I've always wanted to like FOLLOWING. Imagine how heartbroken I'd be if Nolan had anything less than a ***1/2-out-of-4 picture. If you can imagine that feeling of anxiety, then you'll understand how exhilarated I am to tell you that Christopher Nolan (in my opinion) has a perfect track record of excellence in his decade-long library.
FOLLOWING shares many similarities to MEMENTO. Nolan penned both screenplays, produced both pictures, used David Julyan to compose a minimal score for each movie, and presents the plot out of chronological order. But to list the shared qualities between the two films is just as if you tired to compare Nolan's INSOMNIA to the 1998 original - you're missing out on the unique complexities.
As FOLLOWING begins, we see brief random images that clue us into the literal and metaphorical shape of the story. Then, a young man is telling his story to an older authority figure in flashback. Jeremy Theobald, an actor I regretfully haven't seen in anything else, plays this unnamed character. His voice-over narration reveals that in order to inspire his writing, he innocently (?) shadowed London strangers. But soon, he is caught by one of his random selections in a diner. The stranger swiftly and seductively turns the tables on the follower, and convinces him to tag along for a burglary.
What's interesting about this thief is that he shares some remarkable similarities to The Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT: sinister yet irresistible, criminal yet logical, dangerous yet comforting. Like the Young Man, our assumptions about this thief's greed are quickly overturned by his philosophical justifications. What's more disturbing, is we're tempted to discover the secrets of others we don't know. The thief, calling himself "Cobb", soon reveals that he doesn't loot for money. He steals personal items instead, claiming that this invasion of privacy will impact his victims in a profound way.
The plot isn't told in chronological order, but unlike MEMENTO, there is no particular pattern to the puzzle. The timeline is more like Alejandro Gonzalez Inarrittu's movies (21 GRAMS or BABEL, for example): told in random pieces, so that we're unsure if we're one step ahead of the characters, or vice versa. The main story arc focuses on the Young Man's involvement with a femme fatale, whose troubles with a powerful ex-boyfriend allow this Young Man (and us) to penetrate her innermost secrets. Like the greatest film noirs, FOLLOWING is so much more than a visually stunning piece of bizarre entertainment. The story is primarily (I think) an exploration of how our privacy can be violated in the most unusual ways; its unusual focus forces us to join the thieves for the ride. When Cobb and The Young Man enter these strangers' homes, I felt a guilty rush like when Michael Corleone almost couldn't find the gun in the bathroom stall. After all, did I really want to see either of these criminals get caught in the act?
But this guilt is where Nolan is crucial to the piece. He never once approves of this behavior. He doesn't even sympathize with the Young Man's new ladyfriend, in spite of her exposure to brutish violence. But the secret to Nolan's success in FOLLOWING (and perhaps MEMENTO) is that his artistry paints the portrait, but makes it our responsibility to describe it. I think Nolan is very in tune with his audiences. He carefully constructs the story, but leaves us with plenty of subtleties to discover over time.
I won't give away where the story goes next, because FOLLOWING depends on a first-time viewing more than any of Nolan's other films. There are some twists in the plot that are effective the first time around, but aren't as surprising after repeat viewings. That's not to say FOLLOWING isn't an excellent picture, because its psychological depth is a genuine delight. But like Nolan's THE PRESTIGE, there may be one too many twists. The developments work and make sense, but don't hit the gut as much as other surprises in Nolan's other pictures. Think of a clock whose hands make a slightly noisier sound than you might prefer.
While this is my personal least favorite of Christopher Nolan's film catalog, FOLLOWING is an exemplary movie well worth your time. It's black-and-white photography and limited budgetshouldn't discourage you from one of the 90s' most intelligent psychological thrillers. Nolan had the confidence in his story - or at least good budget management - to keep the time length to a tight 71 minutes, and it's not a moment too short or too long. FOLLOWING is a tale so absorbing, it's a shame we didn't hear of this Nolan guy right away. Good thing MEMENTO was his next picture, right?
***DVD Notes***
This Columbia DVD release includes:
1) A trailer
2) An alternate angle to read the screenplay while the movie plays
3) The option to play the movie in chronological order
4) An audio commentary track by Christopher Nolan
Nolan's humility and intelligence make any interview or commentary track a pleasure to listen to, and the alternate options to watch FOLLOWING are a nice touch. For a relatively unknown picture, the quality of bonus content surpasses most mainstream releases.
Summary of Following
An unemployed aspiring "writer" Bill (Jeremy Theobald) has a peculiar hobby, shadowing strangers at random in the streets of London. When Cobb (Alex Haw), a man Bill has been following, catches him in the act, Bill is drawn into Cobb's world of breaking into flats and prying into the personal lives of their victims. In Bob, Bill finds a strange companion - part mentor, part confessor and part evil twin. With an ingenious structure that involves flash forwards and doubling back, the film tests our knowledge and understanding just as the protagonist is being duped into an elaborate triple-cross. "Following" heralded Christopher Nolan as a promising new talent whose promise was amply confirmed with "Memento."Creepy intimacy, plenty of suspense, and a few surprises enliven this black-and-white treat from the director of Memento. Bill is a struggling writer who fills his time and mind by following random strangers he sees on the street. After breaking his own rule ("never follow the same person twice") he becomes fascinated by Cobb, a voyeur who takes things one step further--actually breaking into people's homes to sift through their things. As you might expect, the relationship soon becomes unhealthy. Writer-director Christopher Nolan already reveals a sure hand in this early neo-noir work. Like Memento, Following toys with timelines, jumping back and forth and carefully dropping bits of information exactly when they're needed. Short and sharp, Following features an intriguing plot line and fine, understated performances by the entire cast. Don't miss it. --Ali Davis
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