FINAL CUT

UK, 1998, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ray Winstone, Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Holly Davidson, John Beckett, Mark Burdis, Lisa Marsh, Ray Burdis, Dominic Anciano.
Directed by Dominic Anciano and Ray Burdis.

Final Cut is a peculiar film, a kind of psychodrama played out amongst friends. A group of actors, who are friends in real life (although Jude Law later separated from his wife Sadie Frost) sit around and improvise on themes of cocaine, law, sex, betrayal. While there is a skill in the material that they improvise, there is a rather ugly perspective to what each of them imagines and is encouraged to imagine by the directing team (who had also made a mock docu-soap, Operation Good Guys).

The film was set in North London and reviewers complained that it was so localised that audiences beyond that part of London would not respond well to the film – that they should show an interest in the world beyond the borders of their postcodes!

Reviewers also refer to the narcissism of the cast in putting their own names to the characters. The film can be seen as an experiment in British film-making of the 90s and an attempt to raise issues of the shadow side of British society.

1. The impact of the film? For what audience? London, British, universal?

2. The small budget, the cast and their using their own names? Their friendship off-screen? The improvised nature of the exercise? The style of photography, editing? Musical score and songs?

3. The title, the reference to film-making, to the injuries imposed on each by the other?

4. The discussions, the interactions? The marriage relationships? The situation, Sadie’s flat, the partner and his death, the sudden death? The wake? The cameras present?

5. Watching the footage, the documentary, Jude directing the material? The scenes, the hidden cameras, their reactions – not favourable? The cocaine in the bathroom, urinating in the sink, looking in the laundry basket? Holly and her stealing Lisa’s purse? Ray’s reaction? Holly and her comments about her relationship with John (and his being in a wheelchair)? John and the prostitute?

6. The repercussions for the group, the reaction to the footage, the revelation of character, the shadow side of character? The intermission, Bill and his response to Lisa? Ray and his confronting Sadie?

7. The relationship between Ray and Lisa, their marriage, his reaction to the sequences, especially the stealing of the purse? His brutality towards Lisa, physical brutality? His relationship with Sadie, and advance on her?

8. The drug deal, Jude and his role, Dominic, Burdis and Bill, their being tricked by him? Holly and the illicit videotape, her trying to blackmail Jude?

9. Holly, her reaction, wanting to leave the house, Bill and his strong-arm tactics, preventing her leaving, Sadie’s orders?

10. Jude, the sexual relationship with Lisa, Ray and the anger with Jude, his killing him? Ray and his trying to escape, being captured by the police?

11. The film presenting characters and caricatures – any insight into people’s behaviour, characters, interactions?