UNMADE BEDS
UK, 2009, 93 minutes, Colour.
Fernando Tielve, Deborah Francois, Michiel Huisman, Iddo Goldberg, Richard Lintern, Katia Winter, Leonardo Brzezicki, Lucy Tillet, Al Weaver.
Directed by Alexis Dos Santos.
It probably needs to be said first off that this is a film made by young people, about young people, for young people. Its story and characters, its visual style, the importance of popular music and significant, if offbeat, lyrics are very much geared to a YouTube? sensibility for the cinema screen. This accounts for the acclaim that the film has received from audiences and critics who are keen on experimental ways of storytelling (often with a small budget, as here) than on classical polish and finesse.
That is how the film was made – on location in London and Nottingham (especially for the huge squat building) and for recording the soundtrack.
The 'what' of the film is the telling of two short stories, of a young man, Axl, 20 or so, from Spain, and a young woman, Vera, 20 or so, from Belgium, who come to London, meet their peers and try to work out what they are going to do with their lives. The young Spaniard (Fernando Tielve who appeared in Guillermo del Toro's Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth) is looking for his father, an English real estate agent, who may or may not know that he has a Spanish son. The young Belgian (Deborah Francois, so impressive in The Child and in The Page Turner) works in a bookshop, is looking for relationship and love.
For most of the film, they have separate stories but eventually meet at a club and share these stories and feelings.
Other characters, often briefly but well delineated, include Mike, the older man who has been through the search for meaning and now runs a club and a squat and is kind and a listener. The staff at the bookshop where Vera works offer some comic touches.
Alexis dos Santos is from Argentina but studied in London and so brings memories and experience to his storytelling and to his sometimes improvised and rough and ready visual style as well as including a wide range of bands and singers.
Though there is a lot of drinking, this is not a drug world – and the characters are friendly rather than threatening towards each other, a kinder London than might have been expected from other films.
1.The work of the director? Argentinian background? Study and residence in England? An English story – but from the point of view of migrants?
2.The film’s style, small budget, handheld camera, grainy look, home movie? A sense of authenticity – and poverty? The musical score, the range of songs, the groups, the lyrics, commenting on the action and characters? The importance for the young people of this kind of music?
3.A film made by young people, about young people, for young people? The impact for older audiences?
4.The title, the reference to beds, looking for lodging anywhere, the squats in London? The variety of rooms, Vera, X Ray Man and their rooms?
5.The intercutting of the two stories? The story of Axl? Of Vera? The way the two stories were intercut? The two characters finally meeting, talking, influencing each other?
6.The London setting, the world of young people, the contrast with the world of the older people, the richer suburbs, the estate agent and the visiting of flats? The clubs, the streets, the squats?
7.Axl’s story, from Spain, twenty years old, arrival in London? His look, appearance, English? His quest to find his English father? The filling in of the background story, his mother, his father’s visiting? His drinking, passing out and not remembering? People transporting him to various rooms? His waking up, not knowing the people? Generally being welcomed? Breakfast, toilets, ordinary rooms, Mike helping him find the mattress? His going out to find his father, the estate agent, dressing up in the strange coat and tie? His spiel to his father, visiting the various flats? Talking with his father, listening to him? Finding out about his wife, two daughters? In the care with the young daughter, talking? His not revealing the truth? Going to the office, almost telling the truth? Giving back the lighter, his father giving him the lighter? His shock that his father was a very ordinary person? His continued wandering around, odd jobs in the bar, with the posters? The clubs, the music, his drinking? Going to the set-up for the video, the animal masks? His meeting Vera? The discussions, sharing their lives? His reliance on Mike, the approach and the kiss, Mike’s reaction? His being in London – and what future?
8.Vera’s story, from Belgium, her story about Lucas and getting out of the maze so quickly, his taking a long time? Her relationships? Leaving Lucas? Her meeting X Ray Man, their past? Her work in the bookshop, advising the man not to buy the book about bliss? With Kevin and Lucy? Going out, X Ray Man, their time together, the appointments, time and place, the bonding, the missed appointment? Her going to the set-up for the video, the mask, the party, meeting Axl, talking? Her future – and seeing X Ray Man and his singing? A future with him?
9.Mike, older, friendly, helping Axl? The bar and the work? The musical groups? Confidant and helper?
10.Hannah, with Mike, generous, welcoming Axl?
11.Lucy and Kevin, their work at the bookshop, finally letting Vera go?
12.A glimpse of London? From the perspective of migrants, of young people, young people moving from job to job, lodging to lodging? Hopes for the future?
