2006, UK/Denmark
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Life is a matter of perspective. Sometimes by microanalyzing one aspect, the surrounding world is excluded by tunnel vision.
Andrea Arnold makes her feature debut focusing on a woman who excels in noticing the small details. As a surveillance operator for the grimy streets of Glasgow, Jackie must sight suspect behavior from multiple screens. Quietly enjoying what should otherwise be private moments of happiness, she is jarred when spotting the man responsible for her life of seclusion.
Her world is initially viewed through various surveillance cameras. Limited to grainy close-ups, she desperately manipulates every angle. When thrown into the real world, she keeps her distance from others and relies on observation over conversation. Even intimate moments are cold and lack any real connection.
A spark within her flickers when she is reunited on screen with a criminal she knows all too well. Obsessed with his every movement, she confronts social fears in order to meld into the life known only from her dark work station. There is a sense of paranoia as she walks in front of the same cameras that are constantly recording and judging her city.
Her emotions have become so controlled that when she chooses revenge, it is all internal and yet unmistakable. Physical contact with the enemy sends her into a dizzying spiral of anxiety and confusion, as he represents a connection to feelings long since lost and buried. Flush with rage and curiosity, the screen burns red -- imagery that finds its way into her vision throughout the film.
She is so consumed by fury that her actions appear unfocused and without foresight. She arranges confrontation after grabbing makeshift weapons, yet seems to have no plans for execution. Though she desires to view her enemy and his environment as purely evil, she cannot ignore flaws in her perception. She has been trained to notice hidden details and subtle nuances from a distance, so it is impossible to deny truths up close.
The atmosphere changes with her personal journey. From a dark and silent room to the mechanical music of the city, Jackie works her way towards the warmth of a memory. Family attempts to shatter the wall she has built around herself, but only her own determined pursuits that can bring it down. As she approaches closure for her troubles, her emotions become muddled in the desperation to feel something.
Kate Dickie effectively portrays the shut-off, tortured soul in search of redemption and revenge with an angular form that cries for softer curves. Tony Curran fills the shoes of the enemy, ambiguous in his intentions yet not as easily punishable as Jackie would hope.
Cinematographer Robbie Ryan never uses the observation cameras as a crutch, but rather as the initial kaleidoscope that comes into focus with each turn. Arnold pulls the audience from the inside out, expanding knowledge from a broader perspective in each successive scene. As the truths unfold and Jackie removes her blinders, the full spectrum of colors return to her world.