Following (2005)

Creepy intimacy, plenty of suspense, and a few surprises enliven this black-and-white treat from the director of Memento. Bill is a struggling writer who fills his time and mind by following random strangers he sees on the street. After breaking his own rule ("never follow the same person twice") he becomes fascinated by Cobb, a voyeur who takes things one step further--actually breaking into people's homes to sift through their things. As you might expect, the relationship soon becomes unhealthy. Writer-director Christopher Nolan already reveals a sure hand in this early neo-noir work. Like Memento, Following toys with timelines, jumping back and forth and carefully dropping bits of information exactly when they're needed. Short and sharp, Following features an intriguing plot line and fine, understated performances by the entire cast. Don't miss it. --Ali Davis Amazon.com

Almost a masterpiece!

The first film of mastermind director, Christopher Nolan (Dark knight, memento), it's simply BRILLIANT the way he puts together this dark puzzle. The movie plays in chronological disorder to make you feel disoriented like the protagonist (jeremy theobald), who doesn't know what's really happening around him. It got a lot of twists, and just when you think you know what's happening....you're WRONG!!!. Like every debut film from a director, it got it's little flaws, but is compensated by its brutal final act!!.


So this is a film for the ones who love noir movies and for the ones who love to be dared and surprise by a film!!

- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 5/5 September 29, 2008

The Original Piece Of A Cinematic Artist

Ever heard of MEMENTO? I thought so. How about those two new BATMAN movies, especially the one with The Joker? You can't walk the streets without hearing about those flicks. What about INSOMNIA or THE PRESTIGE? Because of all the A-list talent involved, chances are pretty good you at least heard of them.

How about FOLLOWING? Me neither. I have been an ardent fan of Christopher Nolan for a few years. But after watching THE DARK KNIGHT, it was time to find out whether my personal myth of this genius was always true. Was he always this good? As it turns out, Nolan's instant masterpiece MEMENTO wasn't the first project he tackled. I still had yet to discover this debut feature.

Ever since hearing about this movie, I've always wanted to like FOLLOWING. Imagine how heartbroken I'd be if Nolan had anything less than a ***1/2-out-of-4 picture. If you can imagine that feeling of anxiety, then you'll understand how exhilarated I am to tell you that Christopher Nolan (in my opinion) has a perfect track record of excellence in his decade-long library.

FOLLOWING shares many similarities to MEMENTO. Nolan penned both screenplays, produced both pictures, used David Julyan to compose a minimal score for each movie, and presents the plot out of chronological order. But to list the shared qualities between the two films is just as if you tired to compare Nolan's INSOMNIA to the 1998 original - you're missing out on the unique complexities.

As FOLLOWING begins, we see brief random images that clue us into the literal and metaphorical shape of the story. Then, a young man is telling his story to an older authority figure in flashback. Jeremy Theobald, an actor I regretfully haven't seen in anything else, plays this unnamed character. His voice-over narration reveals that in order to inspire his writing, he innocently (?) shadowed London strangers. But soon, he is caught by one of his random selections in a diner. The stranger swiftly and seductively turns the tables on the follower, and convinces him to tag along for a burglary.

What's interesting about this thief is that he shares some remarkable similarities to The Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT: sinister yet irresistible, criminal yet logical, dangerous yet comforting. Like the Young Man, our assumptions about this thief's greed are quickly overturned by his philosophical justifications. What's more disturbing, is we're tempted to discover the secrets of others we don't know. The thief, calling himself "Cobb", soon reveals that he doesn't loot for money. He steals personal items instead, claiming that this invasion of privacy will impact his victims in a profound way.

The plot isn't told in chronological order, but unlike MEMENTO, there is no particular pattern to the puzzle. The timeline is more like Alejandro Gonzalez Inarrittu's movies (21 GRAMS or BABEL, for example): told in random pieces, so that we're unsure if we're one step ahead of the characters, or vice versa. The main story arc focuses on the Young Man's involvement with a femme fatale, whose troubles with a powerful ex-boyfriend allow this Young Man (and us) to penetrate her innermost secrets. Like the greatest film noirs, FOLLOWING is so much more than a visually stunning piece of bizarre entertainment. The story is primarily (I think) an exploration of how our privacy can be violated in the most unusual ways; its unusual focus forces us to join the thieves for the ride. When Cobb and The Young Man enter these strangers' homes, I felt a guilty rush like when Michael Corleone almost couldn't find the gun in the bathroom stall. After all, did I really want to see either of these criminals get caught in the act?

But this guilt is where Nolan is crucial to the piece. He never once approves of this behavior. He doesn't even sympathize with the Young Man's new ladyfriend, in spite of her exposure to brutish violence. But the secret to Nolan's success in FOLLOWING (and perhaps MEMENTO) is that his artistry paints the portrait, but makes it our responsibility to describe it. I think Nolan is very in tune with his audiences. He carefully constructs the story, but leaves us with plenty of subtleties to discover over time.

I won't give away where the story goes next, because FOLLOWING depends on a first-time viewing more than any of Nolan's other films. There are some twists in the plot that are effective the first time around, but aren't as surprising after repeat viewings. That's not to say FOLLOWING isn't an excellent picture, because its psychological depth is a genuine delight. But like Nolan's THE PRESTIGE, there may be one too many twists. The developments work and make sense, but don't hit the gut as much as other surprises in Nolan's other pictures. Think of a clock whose hands make a slightly noisier sound than you might prefer.

While this is my personal least favorite of Christopher Nolan's film catalog, FOLLOWING is an exemplary movie well worth your time. It's black-and-white photography and limited budgetshouldn't discourage you from one of the 90s' most intelligent psychological thrillers. Nolan had the confidence in his story - or at least good budget management - to keep the time length to a tight 71 minutes, and it's not a moment too short or too long. FOLLOWING is a tale so absorbing, it's a shame we didn't hear of this Nolan guy right away. Good thing MEMENTO was his next picture, right?

***DVD Notes***
This Columbia DVD release includes:
1) A trailer
2) An alternate angle to read the screenplay while the movie plays
3) The option to play the movie in chronological order
4) An audio commentary track by Christopher Nolan
Nolan's humility and intelligence make any interview or commentary track a pleasure to listen to, and the alternate options to watch FOLLOWING are a nice touch. For a relatively unknown picture, the quality of bonus content surpasses most mainstream releases. September 29, 2008

Better than most of Nolan's later films

Almost a decade ago, I broke into a home. This was no difficult task, as the woman who resided there never locked her door. While there, I took something back that this woman's son had stolen from me, left something else that he deserved and was very careful to leave no other trace of my activities. Years later, I still remember that curious thrill: the novelty of my planned procedure, an adrenaline rush that was hardly unpleasant and the satisfaction of a task capably completed.

Christopher Nolan's first feature film invokes all of the feelings triggered by the entire experience of a successful burglary: excitement, anxiety, and a touch of fear. However, the act of a burglary is only a means to an end for both the filmmaker and his characters. Even the themes explored here (voyeurism, intrusion) seem incidental, almost peripheral to the story's ultimate objective. An unemployed writer who shadows people to ease his boredom (Theobald) is taken in by a professional thief (Haw) who teaches him the methods of his trade. Much of what's initially presented to both the protagonist and the audience is illusory; if the phrase "nothing is as it seems" is as cliché to you as it is to me, rest assured that an extensive synopsis pertaining to this film's plot in the context of a simple review would spoil the experience that it leads the viewer through.

Like most of Nolan's movies, "Following" is densely plotted and dedicatedly non-linear, featuring obsessive, selfish characters whose motives seem entirely apparent, both before and after they're actually revealed. Theobald and Russell are entirely convincing, but Haw is the real star of the movie: his forceful, prickish performance dominates every scene in which he's featured. I don't know why an actor with such enormous screen presence hasn't any other roles to his credit, but it seems a shame; even if he were typecast in this sort of role, Mr. Haw might well be a gifted character actor.

This is actually much better than "Memento:" the plot isn't so uniformly organized, the characters are more complex and the story's surprises are more clever and subtly revealed. As with Nolan's other films, a second viewing allows one to notice more of the story's nuances, but isn't necessary for a basic comprehension of its plot. April 26, 2008

Very Memento...ish

Ever thought you were being followed?

We liked this one better than Memento, definitely keeps you thinking with lots of twists and turns. Entirely in B&W but that was okay, it works well here. We recommend. October 26, 2007

Has you in the first moments

More than anything, I was struck in this movie by how quickly and easily the director and main actor were able to pry me out of myself and put me in the shoes of the main character. Before I knew it, I was joining in his main passtime of Following strangers to see their lives. I've never wanted to do this before, but it was instantly effective filmmaking, and I could see how people would be fascinated by this activity.

I won't give away any plot points, but there is a very satisfying and unanticipated storyline resulting from the introduction.

Watch it for 5 minutes and see how well the film puts you into unfamiliar shoes with your unknowing consent. February 6, 2007

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