KELLY + VICTOR
UK/Ireland, 2012, 95 minutes, Colour.
Antonia Campbell- Hughes, Julian Morris, William Ruane, Claire Keele.
Directed by Kieren Evans.
Kelly + Victor is a brief slice of life, a focus on two young people in their 20s who meet by chance, relate sexually, who develop an intensity in their relationship leading to sado-masochistic behaviour with dire results.
Antonia Campbell- Hughes looks rather waiflike as Kelly, but she has an intensity below the surface, separating from her boyfriend, wanting to control Victor, often the victim of her own weaknesses. We see her going with her friend, Victoria, to sado-masochistic episode in a basement where her friend is a dominatrix.
Julian Morris looks very ordinary as Victor, a man who works on the docks, would prefer to be out in the countryside, has a kind of poetic view of nature, but becomes entangled with his emotions and love for Kelly, becoming more deeply involved in the sado-masochistic behaviour which ultimately destroys him.
Kieren Evans won BAFTA award in 2012 as the most promising director.
1. A film about ordinary people in their 20s, lost souls, relationships, sado-masochism and the consequences?
2. The Liverpool settings, the city, homes, flats, basements, clubs, the gritty atmosphere? The contrast with the beautiful countryside, nature, flowers, growth? The work areas on the docks? The musical score?
3. The credibility of the plot? The performances? The delineation of the characters, their meeting, drugs and permissiveness, sexual relationship? The tensions? The effect on each of the characters? The chance of their coming together again? And the dire consequences?
4. The depictions of sexuality, sado-masochistic behaviour? The violence, the sexual power, pleasure? Addictive? Exercise of power and dominance?
5. The portrait of Kelly, young, her age, the breakup with her boyfriend and her hostility towards him, keeping him away? Her relationship with her mother, dropping in, cups of tea, chat? In the bar, dancing, the attraction to Victor, the drink, the cocaine, the sexual encounter, her coming alive, her dominating? The further visits, asphyxiation? The broken glass in Victor’s back? His not contacting her? In the bar, the confrontation, her being hit, the wound to her head, wandering the streets, the encounter with Victor, taking her to the hospital? Her recovery? The relationship on again? The sexual behaviour? The asphyxiation? His death? The film leaving her at the end, bewildered?
6. The portrait of Victor, 27, ordinary, at the bar, dancing, the attraction to Kelly, introducing her to the cocaine? The sexual encounter, the sadism, his own masochism? With his friends, the conversation? His workplace, on the wharves? Travelling out in the countryside? His friends and their drug deal, his wandering in the woods, his love of nature, wanting to be outside, away from the city? His friends not believing him? The same sentiments to Kelly? His second visit, the wounding from the glass and his reaction? His friends seeing the wounds, the discussion about whether he should break off or not? Hanging himself in his bathroom and his weeping. Asphyxiation? The effect on him? The break, not contacting Kelly? Seeing her wounded in the street? Taking her to the hospital? The relationship on again, the effect on him, the choking, his death?
7. Victor and his sister, the brother-in-law, the nephew, at home with them, the conversations, the support? Baby-sitting?
8. Kelly, Victoria, her work as a dominatrix? The client, in the basement, the weeping? Kelly and her challenge, not being able to go through with it? her sado-masochistic feelings?
9. Victor and his friends, their way of life, drugs, attitude towards sex, influence on Victor? The discussions with his friend in the bar, seeing him in the toilet with the woman? The more earnest friend and the change room, his advice?
10. A slice of life, a depiction of a relationship, its intensity, going out of control, the consequences?
