The Levelling ** (2016, Ellie Kendrick, David Troughton, Jack Holden) – Movie Review

Ellie Kendrick stars as gloomy estranged daughter Clover Catto, who responds reluctantly to a phone call telling her that her younger brother Harry (Joe Blakemore) is dead.

She returns to her Somerset family farm and faces up to her distraught and deranged father Aubrey (David Troughton), whom she hasn’t spoken to in years.

Debut writer-director Hope Dickson Leach’s bleak family drama is a sincere and well-made but heavy-going and depressing dark tale of country folk whose lives are all but destroyed along with their land and property, set against the background of the floods that devastated the area.

Dealing head on with death, destruction and grief, Leach manages to keep the difficult but atmospheric film together, and it is strongly acted, especially by Kendrick and Troughton, and very well shot by Nanu Segal. Those looking for entertainment will need to look elsewhere, but some will find enlightenment and insight here.

As with the works of Thomas hardy, it may have the effect of reminding some city dwellers why they live in town, though that isn’t really the point.

Jack Holden plays James.

There is strong language and brief nudity.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Movie Review

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