Film notes and reviews » 2011/12 season » Archipelago, November 2011

Archipelago, November 2011

UK 2011. Director: Joanna Hogg.

Certificate 15

This is a subtle film; Philip French the Observer’s film critic, who loved it, called it “defiantly art house”, which would also be applicable to Joanna Hogg’s first film Unrelated.

Once again relationships are unravelled, this time for a middle class family group on holiday in the Scilly Isles. The viewer requires patience as the director slowly shows characters weaknesses with a still camera, natural light and no music. Tom Hiddlestone has become a star since this film (The Deep Blue Sea).

The meal time scenes are excruciatingly tense.