Two men on opposite ends of the personality spectrum collide with one another by chance, and spend a frenetic evening together, finding meaning, and themselves, along the way.
There’s a niche audience that finds joy in walk and talk films. They’re not for everybody. But they are for me. I absolutely adore them. And A Night Like This fits right in amongst some of the greatest ones ever made. Focusing on a small story of humanity, with dashes of incredible realism that grounds the entire story in roots of beauty, and the delicate bond between two struggling humans. Having the boldness to address topics of drug use, depression, and modern era difficulties with life itself, A Night Like This is a love story told through a frenetic series of almost real time events over the course of a single night, giving us the briefest of glimpses into these two exceptionally well developed characters’ lives, and leaving us wanting more of them in all the right ways.
Told through an absolutely gorgeous lens by Liam Calvert, based on a touching and all too human script by Diego Scerrati, the film is so well thought out and developed that it feels almost documentarian, and that’s meant very much as a compliment. The representation behind the camera is heartfelt and tangible, and it’s a great depiction of what can be accomplished when we make room for LGBTQ+ stories and filmmakers. With a unique vision and a knowledgeable viewpoint, A Night Like This isn’t just a movie about gay men, it’s a love story wherein the characters happen to be gay. And that is quite possibly the most important aspect of the film, and something we definitely need more of in the future.
Led by not one, but two incredibly talented and incredibly believable actors, Alexander Lincoln and Jack Brett Anderson are quite possibly the most relatable and human characters I’ve seen in film this year so far. Their performances, while pretty polar opposite on the outside, are so deeply moving and touching, you’ll find yourself longing for them to find their happiness in a cruel world of sadness. Lincoln is mesmerizing, and Anderson is sublime. The supporting cast is stellar, as well, with standouts in David Bradley and Beth Rylance, pulling the whole story together and making the film feel not just like a movie, but a living, breathing world of characters.
The cinematography by Oliver Bury is breathtaking, with stunning use of color and shadow that highlights the reality of London’s nightlife, and the score by Jonny Martin is so fitting for the film it’s almost as if it’s become a part of the world these characters live within, intrinsically bound to this one night in these men’s lives. It’s edited well, and even though there are certain times where budgetary constraints can be found if you’re looking for them, the set design does a great job of looking lived in instead of staged.
Taking pages out of Linklater’s masterful book of walk and talk romance without ever falling into emulation, A Night Like This is one of those rare films that will stick with you for far longer than you spend watching it, and you’ll go on an emotional rollercoaster ride all the way through.