The pressure of her aunt and uncle pushes Zama (Dela Meskienyar) to leave home at midnight. She does not know that her decision will lead her to meet Saul (Cosmo Jarvis), a man worried about the imminent eviction of his grandparents, who seeks answers on his night out in the metropolis. The two wandering souls cross paths and never part, both lost and in search of answers. The duo is heading towards a line of no return, driven by one of the most primitive impulses of our species: revenge. Saul, played by Jarvis, recognizable from films such as Nocturnal (2019), Lady Macbeth (2016) and the acclaimed TV series Peaky Blinders, embodies a young man who fits the archetype of James Dean: lost, impulsive and rebellious. Zama, played by newcomer Meskienyar, has a less explosive persona, yet she lets herself be carried away by the curious and dangerous charisma of the young man wearing an ever-smiling mask.
Funny Face is Tim Sutton’s fifth feature, yet it bears the characteristics of an opera prima with its careful aesthetics, interesting characters, a highly unbearable nemesis, and romance. The variable rhythm of the film gives it a naturalness and a fluidity that contrast with its meticulous aesthetics and form. The sound effects, the music and even the lighting leave clues to the viewers, some more allegorical than others, about the destiny that awaits the protagonists. The psychological dimension of the film allows the audience to go into Saul’s altered psyche and into the director’s unequivocally nonconformist spirit.
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Credits
Year: 2020
Runtime: 95′
Country: USA
Direction: Tim Sutton
Screenplay: Tim Sutton
Cast: Cosmo Jarvis, Dela Meskienyar
Cinematography: Lucas Gath
Genre: Drama
Subtitles: Carlos Ulecia Martínez and Anna López Odina
Contact: Film Constellation
Wins & Nominations
2020: Berlinale
