IN DARKNESS
UK, 2018, 110 minutes, Colour.
Natalie Dormer, Ed Skrein, Emily Ratajkowski, Joely Richardson, James Cosmo, Neil Maskell, Jan Bijvoet.
Directed by Anthony Byrne.
The screenplay for this thriller was written by the star, Natalie Dormer, and her partner, the Director, Anthony Byrne.
While the film is set in London at the beginning of the 21st-century, it harks back to the atrocities in the wars in the Balkans are in the 1990s. The focus is on a blind pianist, the audience sharing the experience of the pianist in the detail of her daily life. She makes a friend of a woman who believes in her block of flats – who is later killed.
The next focus is on a prominent businessman in England who has a record of brutality in the Balkans. He employs two security guards, Joely Richardson, Ed Skrein, the blind pianist is attacked but complications emerge about her past life, her mother, the businessman’s brutal treatment and the pianist working for her revenge.
Somewhat unusual vengeance story.
1. The title? Sofia’s life, blind? The darkness of the underground and worlds of vengeance?
2. The work of the writer-director in collaboration with Natalie Dormer?
3. Topical issues of the late 20th century? Serbia, the war, atrocities, vengeance? Vengeance underground, vengeance in public?
4. Sofia’s story: seen as a pianist, with the orchestra, Braille, her performance, the daily routines, travel, the underground, her apartment, walking with her cane, the audience sharing the experience of being blind? Veronique’s death, the reaction, not seeing it, not hearing because of earphones, the complexity of her attitude towards Veronique?
5. The music, scoring for the film by the orchestra, Sofia and practice, performance at the party?
6. Veronique’s father, his past in Serbia, surface respectability, charities? The demonstrations against him? His social, people at the party, Sofia playing the piano, his speaking with her, the champagne? His using Alex and Mark for security? Their loyalties, prepared to murder? Veronique and her death, her pregnancy, her father’s attitude towards her, her attitude towards him? The truth about the past, his telling his story, the threats, the cruelty, the blind mother, Sofia, the rapes? His revisiting Sofia, intent to kill her? The significant photo?
7. Alex, security, ruthless, the connection with the Serbian warlord, Sofia picked up, in the van, the breaking of her fingers? The further threats, Mark, his relationship with Veronique, discovering that Sofia was blind? Veronique’s pregnancy? The importance of the USB stick? Alex and her wanting it, the exchange? Mark wanting to save her, running, the fight and the thugs, his death?
8. The police officer, the interrogation of Sofia, his gauche manner, his family and his little daughter, the interviews, working out what it happened, trying to save Sofia?
9. The complexity of the story and its twists? Vengeance themes?
