Richard Online

REVIEW: I Want Your Sex ★☆☆☆☆

September 1, 2026

I Want Your Sex is a 2026 American erotic comedy thriller film directed by Gregg Araki, who co-wrote the screenplay with Karley Sciortino. It had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was released in the UK last Friday, 28 August.

Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde) is found floating naked and unconscious in her pool by her 23-year-old lover Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) – the opening scene of Sunset Boulevard inverted. Then a caption takes us back to 9 ½ weeks earlier. Successful artist Erika is interviewing Elliot for a role as a new assistant in her studio. He gets the job and a few days later she tells him that she wants sex. He seems keen, because although he has a girlfriend, he is not getting any at home. Their relationship quickly takes on a DOM/sub dynamic and whilst Erika is clearly very experienced, Elliot is completely out of his depth. As things develop, things move from consensual to non-consensual to outright abuse. And then we find our way back to the swimming pool. There is a frame-narrative which involves the hapless Elliot being interviewed by the most unlikely looking pair of detectives you are ever likely to see.

None of the characters were particularly believable, although Olivia Wilde made a good effort with the appalling script she was given to work with. The story was very predictable, and the twist was easier to spot than a tornado in a dustbowl. The camerawork was lazy and there were some particularly poor attempts to convey visually what was in the imagination of the characters. And as for comedy, it was juvenile in the extreme: remember the 9 ½ weeks mentioned above? (snigger, snigger!) well, that was about the level of the humour. However, none of these things was the real problem – unfortunately it was just very dull. I wanted it to end before it was even halfway through, I was so utterly bored.

I heard someone compare the director, Gregg Araki, to Pedro Almodóvar – ridiculous! Almodóvar understands the words erotic, comedy and thriller and knows how to make them work together in a film. The only comparison which could be valid that I can think of is: Araki is nowhere near as good as Almodóvar!

I Want Your Sex is a thoroughly bad film. Don’t waste your time and money!
REVIEW: De Gaulle: Resistance ★★★★☆

September 1, 2026

De Gaulle: Resistance is the first part of a 2026 epic biographical drama film directed by Antonin Baudry, who co-wrote the screenplay with Bérénice Vila. It is based on the nonfiction book A Certain Idea of France: The Life of Charles de Gaulle by Julian Jackson. It had its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May and was released in the UK on Friday 28 August. The second part, De Gaulle: Liberté, will be released in the coming months.

Following the capitulation of France to the Nazis in June 1940, Charles de Gaulle (Simon Abkarian), flees to London where, on his own initiative, he forms the Free French government-in-exile. He sends emissaries to the French Equatorial African colonies (notably Chad and Middle Congo) and persuades them to ditch their support for the puppet French government in Vichy and throw their lot in with him. He travels to Brazzaville, which he makes the effective capital of Free France in Africa. He instructs the 1st Free French Brigade, under General Marie-Pierre Kœnig (Benoît Magimel), to defend the outpost of Bir Hakeim in the Libyan desert against Rommel’s Afrika Korps. This they do against tremendous odds, holding out for over a fortnight, delaying the German advance through North Africa sufficiently to allow the British Army to regroup prior to the Battle of El Alamein. There ends the (history) lesson.

The film focuses on de Gaulle’s relationship with Winston Churchill (Simon Russell Beale) and on the continuing struggle against the Vichy Government. It is naturally rather sympathetic to de Gaulle and glorifies many of his deeds, perhaps, overstating their importance to the eventual outcome of the war. Having said that, it makes for a very good war film, in the fine traditions of The Dambusters, The Battle of Britain, The Longest Day, etc, and perhaps they could be charged with the same glorification. After all, it is the victors who write the history books, and indeed make the films.

A separate strand of the film follows a young French patriot Fernand Bonnier de la Chapelle (Florian Lesieur) who refuses to accept the authority of Vichy, continues to support de Gaulle, and ultimately commits a decisive blow against Vichy in Algeria, but I cannot tell you what he did, because that would spoil the film.

If you are interested in Twentieth Century history then this is a film for you, provided you don’t take it as gospel – I found a bit of reading around the subject after watching was very useful in obtaining a little balance. However, the film romps along at a good pace, never dragging despite the 158-minute running time. It is well written and well directed, and Abkarian’s de Gaulle is fascinating and annoying in equal measures, just as I am sure the great man was in real life. The supporting cast, of which there are far too many to list, was strong, and I want to mention particularly Magimel who is excellent as Kœnig.

De Gaulle: Resistance is well worth a few hours of your time and I heartily recommend it. I am looking forward to the second part some time in the next couple of months.
REVIEW: Bitter Christmas ★★★★☆

August 30, 2026

Bitter Christmas is a 2026 Spanish tragi-comedy film, written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. It was released theatrically in Spain on 20 March, had its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and was released in the UK on Friday 28 August.

There are two distinct strands in play here: one, set in 2025, is the story of a writer trying to perfect his latest screenplay (called Bitter Christmas) and struggling to find the right ending; the second, set in 2004, is his screenplay, which is about a writer trying to perfect her latest screenplay and struggling to find the right ending. Confused? I suspect many in the audience were, however, that is the fun of a film like this –unravelling the complexities of the plot as it plays out.

The screenwriter in 2025, Raúl (Leonardo Sbaraglia) uses events in the lives of his boyfriend, Santi (Quim Gutiérrez) and his devoted assistant, Mónica (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón). He has set the film-within-a-film in 2004 because he suffered his first panic attack that year, while trying to write a screenplay. Elsa (Bárbara Lennie), the screenwriter in 2004, is clearly his alter-ego: she similarly has a panic attack and uses events in the lives of her lover and her friends.

This is a film about autofiction, however as to the extent to which it is itself autofiction, I am not qualified to say – I know little about Almodóvar’s life, only his films. This does feel a natural step following on from his 2019 film Pain and Glory, which continued a path that had begun with The Flower of My Secret (1995) and Broken Embraces (2009), all of which I loved; but then I do love films about writing, as I am sure is apparent from previous posts.

Almodóvar gets the best from his actors, and they are all just right for their roles. I felt the level of confusion was pitched perfectly and when I left the cinema I had it all neatly worked out in my head – I think! I do intend to revisit the film again in a couple of weeks’ time to watch it with the advantage of knowing the plot in advance, partly to see if I have it right and partly because I feel films as good as this deserve a second viewing; I am sure there will be many things I missed first time around.

Bitter Christmas is unashamedly a cinephile’s film. If you like films about film, you will like this. If you find that a bit self-indulgent, or if you like less complex plotting, it may not be for you. However, at the risk of repetition: I loved it!
REVIEW: One Night Only ★★☆☆☆

August 29, 2026

One Night Only is a 2026 American romantic comedy film, directed by Will Gluck from a screenplay by Travis Braun. It had its World Premiere at a cinema in Manhattan earlier this month and was released in the UK yesterday, Friday 28 August.

The premise: premarital sex has been banned in the United States (really?) and for some reason even more bizarre than this, there is a 12-hour amnesty for one night each year, and so on this night everyone goes out with the one objective of getting laid as many times as possible in 12 hours. I kid you not!

The story follows sex-starved Allie (Monica Barbaro) and Owen (Callum Turner), who continually cross paths on this special night as they comb New York looking for sex. This is presumably the only night of the year when condoms outsell Kleenex, and indeed much of the very silly plot involves trying to track down that elusive last condom.

Clearly the premise is nonsense. In addition, the plot is creaky and predictable, and the screenplay is truly awful. So how come it gets two stars? Well, Barbaro and Turner are pretty good, and there is a certain chemistry between them which managed to keep me in my seat for the whole one hundred minutes – just. There are some funny moments, but they are few and far between and whilst I hate the expression cringe-worthy, this is truly cringe-worthy. But well done the two stars for keeping the film moving and vaguely interesting – the script isn’t your fault – so I have given you a star each!

Unfortunately, One Night Only does not refer to the cinema run of the film and since it is vaguely possible that you could actually walk into a cinema to escape from the rain, and believe me that scenario is more credible than this plot, I must advise don’t. Stay out in the rain – it is more satisfying.
REVIEW: & Sons ★★★★★

August 26, 2026

& Sons is a 2025 drama film directed by Pablo Trapero and written by Sarah Polley. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by David Gilbert. It had its World Premiere in the Special Presentations section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in the UK last Friday, 21 August.

World-renowned novelist Andrew Dyer (Bill Nighy) now lives the life of a recluse in his large country house, somewhere to the West of London. He is long-since estranged from his two eldest sons, Richard (Johnny Flynn) and Jamie (George MacKay), following his acrimonious divorce from their mother Isabel (Imelda Staunton) almost twenty years earlier. His third son Andy (Noah Jupe), the catalyst for that divorce, lives with him along with his ‘housekeeper’, Gerde (Anna Geislerová). Deciding (perhaps irrationally) that he is soon to die, he requests a visit from his eldest sons. And so, the scene is set for the family to get together, for young Andy to finally meet his elder brothers, and for the family story to be played out in all its gory detail. But Andrew has a secret up his sleeve to leave everyone stunned in their disbelief!

And that is where for many it seems that the problem lies. Andrew’s bombshell is very difficult, if not impossible, to believe. However, it is a film, and this is the central premise around which the story is based. So somehow, one must suspend one’s disbelief and accept this conceit, letting the film play out. And quite honestly, I am finding it hard to see why this is such a problem. In any case, whilst it is essential to the story, it is not what the film is about. It is about family relationships; it is about fathers and sons; it is about the way driven men, artists in particular, are so focused that they have a habit of leaving in their wake the remnants of their friends and family; and it is about mortality – the desire to leave a legacy when one dies, whether from the perspective of a world-renowned novelist or simply that of a father.

Whilst Bill Nighy gives a towering performance in the role of the father, it is not exactly a central role: this is an ensemble piece, and the entire cast are quite wonderful: each has their own part to play and each hits it just right. The direction is sharp and the storytelling is perfect, but what else can one expect from Sarah Polly? And I need to add that this is funny; it is very, very funny indeed.

I first saw & Sons at last year’s London Film Festival, for me it was the highpoint, and so I went along yesterday with extremely high expectations; I was not disappointed. I urge you to suspend your disbelief and head for your nearest fleapit: this is a truly great film, and it should not be missed!
REVIEW: Tony ★★★☆☆

August 13, 2026

Tony is a 2026 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Charlie McDowell, who co-wrote the script with Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels and Lou Howe. It is loosely based on the first couple of chapters of Anthony Bourdain’s 2000 memoir Kitchen Confidential. It had its world premiere in New York City in late July and went on general release shortly thereafter. It is released in the UK tomorrow, 14 August.

In 1975, 19-year-old wannabe writer Anthony Bourdain (Dominic Sessa) leaves Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, to travel to Provincetown in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He is seeking to track down Nancy (Emilia Jones), a girl he spoke to once at a college bar, but has decided he has fallen in love with. Finding himself destitute, he takes a washing-up job at a Cape Cod restaurant. They are a hard-drinking, drug-taking, rough-house crowd in the kitchen and Tony learns some pretty bad habits. However, when one of the crew is fired, Tony is promoted and commences his first job as a cook, learning under the tutelage of a Brazilian-born restaurateur known only as Chef (Antonio Banderas).

Tony is something of a stranger to the truth and, driven by his relentless pursuit of Nancy, he seems to travel from one disastrous, madcap adventure to another; however there is just enough to like about him for us to keep routing for him. Chef is a very likeable character, full of grace – we immediately warm to him, and we are always on his side.

Is it the real story of Bourdain’s teenage summer in Cape Cod? – almost certainly not – to begin with, the Chef character is entirely fictional. However, the three leads are all excellent and the film keeps up a cracking pace, and so never lags.

Tony is well-worth seeing if you have nothing better to do. I enjoyed it, but came away knowing nothing much about Bourdain, but that’s okay – I did not go in search of a history lesson. And Provincetown certainly looks worth a visit!
GUEST REVIEW: The Odyssey ★☆☆☆☆

August 11, 2026

The Odyssey is a 2026 epic action fantasy film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It is based on Homer’s epic poem, apparently utilising Emily Wilson’s translation. It had its world premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London in early July and went on general release shortly thereafter. It was released in the UK on Friday, 17 July.

I know this seems like a bit of a cop-out, but I have been to see several films this year knowing I would not like them, and the idea of sitting through three hours of this was a step too far. I do not like action films; I do not really like fantasy films; and the trailer left me totally bored. I have read countless reviews, many of which are very positive, however the one that seems most in tune with my thoughts on adapting great literature are those of Emily Wilson in the London Review of Books (https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v48/n14/emily-wilson/an-uncomplicated-man).

However, it seems too big of a cinema event to miss it completely, and my son, who has seen the film and is a poet himself, offered to write a review for me. So here it is:

GUEST REVIEW – BY ALEX BICKLEY

In his first film since Oppenheimer (2023), Christopher Nolan has taken on perhaps the most famous poem of the ancient era, if not of all time, the various episodes of which are known to millions even if they haven’t read the work itself. This is a formidable task for any filmmaker, as they are dealing with an audience who all have their own contradictory ideas as to what the story is.

The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’s (Matt Damon) ten-year return to his home on the island of Ithaca, and the various challenges he and his men face along the way. Odysseus had, before the start of his journey, been at war, fighting with his fellow Greeks against the Trojans. This war also took ten years, and so by the time he returns (20 years after he left), his presence on the island is merely a distant memory; his son, Telemachus (Tom Holland) does not remember his father, and his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), barely does. In fact, as Odysseus struggles at sea, so does his family at home, forced to be hospitable to Penelope’s many suitors, attempting to convince her to remarry, on the basis that her husband must now be long dead. Having returned to the island, incognito, the final third of the poem involves Odysseus’s overthrowing of the suitors and reuniting with his wife.

Though in effect a sequel, The Odyssey (c. 800 BC), due to its adventure story structure, is the more well-known of Homer’s poems, and it is not uncommon for artists, like Nolan, to adapt it standalone, ignoring The Iliad, or rather, in Nolan’s case, not quite ignoring it. And this is perhaps where the issues began: Nolan’s opening montage, of around half an hour, attempts to cover much of the content of The Iliad (being the story of the war with the Trojans), the poem to which The Odyssey is a sequel, in an attempt to explain what needs to be explained. However, such is the nature of complex mythologies, half an hour is enough time to merely complicate. Thus, by the end of the first half-hour, having neither sufficiently set up the story (as a prologue) nor properly begun it (as an opening chapter or act), I felt the film had no idea where it was going.

And so, then, eventually the story of Odysseus’s return begins.

The various obstacles that Odysseus and his men face along the way are, to give Nolan his credit, the strongest sections of the film. Nolan is a maker of superhero films, and the central third of the story is a series of heroic stories, of good guys fighting bad ones. A purist like me will mourn the loss of some plot points, such as the conversation that Odysseus has with the cyclops Polyphemus (Bill Irwin), and of Aeolus and the bag of winds. I think that essentially Odysseus is a little cleverer than Nolan allows him to be, and that a lot of what is omitted would have highlighted his ingenuity over his physical prowess.

And then, there’s the ending.

I have to admit I was quite angry by the end of this film. The person I saw it with, who enjoyed it (a little), said I should have taken the film as it was, and that I shouldn’t mind things being ‘changed a bit’, but the problem with the ending – and I’m going to avoid spoiling the ending, because, unlike the rest of the film, it isn’t almost 3 millennia old and thus unspoilable – is that the changes to Homer’s plot are so seismic that they totally alter the character of Odysseus, removing all of the light and shade, and making him, basically, all-round good, flat, and bland.

Homer’s poem, in the recent, critically-acclaimed translation by Emily Wilson, begins ‘Tell me about a complicated man.’ The word Homer uses is πολύτροπον – Wilson translates this as ‘complicated’, more literally it might be ‘of many shifts’, ‘multi-dimensional’, etc. – not simply good or simply bad. And Nolan’s ending removes this entirely.

There are moments of this film where the greatness of the original story breaks through, but they are few and far between. The first and last forty-or-so minutes are irritating in the extreme. When it comes to Odysseys, I would personally either recommend reading it (Wilson’s translation is very good, as is E. V. Rieu’s), or if you wish for a dramatisation, Simon Armitage’s 3-part radio version is wonderful (The Odyssey (2004) starring Tim McInnerny).

But this film, I cannot endorse. The adaptation has rendered an epic poem neither epic nor poetic. I expected from Nolan the total lack of poetry, but I did not expect, given his many years in the profession, the poor cinematic craftsmanship. By attempting to squeeze an Achilles-less Iliad within the first act of the Odyssey and then introducing an erroneous subplot into the last act, Nolan has upset the balance of a tale by one of the masters of storytelling, the result of which is a total mess.

In addition to the review, Alex wrote a poem relating to his experience of the film, which feature on his poetry blog: https://abickleypoet.wordpress.com/2026/08/11/homoeronic-a-poem-in-response-to-christopher-nolans-the-odyssey-2026/
REVIEW: The Summer Book ★★★★☆

August 9, 2026

The Summer Book is a 2024 drama film directed by Charlie McDowell, from a screenplay by Robert Jones, based on Tove Jansson’s 1972 novel of the same name. The film is a Finnish/UK/US co-production. It had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2024 and went on general release in the UK last Friday, 7 August.

I would now give some indication of the plot, however there isn’t really a plot. This film is entirely about mood and form. I understand that the novel is a series of vignettes, almost stand-alone short stories, which weave together into a portrait of three characters across three generations of one family, over one summer on a small, remote island in the Gulf of Finland. In the year prior to this summer, a character has died: to ‘Grandmother’ (Glenn Close) she was a daughter-in-law; to ‘Father’ (Anders Danielsen Lie) she was a wife; and to Sophia (Emily Matthews) she was a mother.

So, to an extent this is a film about grief, however there is much more to it than that. I would say that it is about the transition between life and death: Grandmother, a little cantankerous, with a deep love for her son and her granddaughter, is gradually approaching her own death, and seems perfectly at ease with that. She is less at ease with her son’s failure to snap out of his grief, which has perhaps morphed into self-pity, and his failure to become the parent that Sophia needs. Sophia is still discovering the World, with her grandmother to help her along the way, but she has been deeply affected by the death of her mother and cannot understand why her father is so distant with her.

The film concentrates heavily, perhaps too heavily, on the relationship between Sophia and her grandmother, failing (in my opinion) to focus sufficiently on the bereaved husband, and so wasting the talents of Danielsen Lie. However, that is a minor criticism; there is so much in the Sophia/Grandmother relationship that I would not have wanted to miss a moment of it. The characters are all very likeable, but they all have their faults too – no clichés about sickly-sweet grannies here.

As a film which concentrates on form, rather than substance, there are no conclusions. It begins at the beginning of the summer when they arrive on the island; it ends when autumn approaches and they prepare to leave it. The film has been described as “light in story but heavy in mood” and I think that sums it up rather well.

It is beautifully shot, although I think with the backdrop of the Gulf of Finland in the summer, that would have been difficult to get wrong. McDowell directs with a light touch, letting the character development take control of the story. Close is quite wonderful as grandmother and the young Emily Matthews is perfect for her role. It is just a shame Danielsen Lie did not have more to get his teeth into.

The Summer Book is a very pleasant, gentle way to spend 90 minutes. I want to read the book now, which is always a good sign.
My ‘Top 3 and a Bit’ Films about Writing

August 4, 2026

It being a while since my last Top 3 and a Bit post, I decided it was time to select another subject and, given I have already covered Films on Poetry, on Poets and on Filmmaking, I decided to finish this section off by looking at Films on Writing. In doing so I wanted to concentrate particularly on the process of writing, which after all is what I do. I have ignored the writing of film and poetry since they have already been covered in previous sections.

In preparing my lists, I look at others already available on the internet to ensure that I do not overlook any important films. By and large the lists I found were disappointing, in that they did not differentiate between films on writing and films on writers, whether fictional or real. Since I particularly wanted to look at the process of writing, only those which covered that area were genuine contenders. Consequently, as well as the usual list of Honourable Mentions, there is a second group of films on writers which, whilst very good, did not quite fit my remit.

So, here are my Top 3 Films about Writing, together with notes on several additional films which are certainly worthy of attention:

(1)          In the House (2012 – François Ozon)

Germain (Fabrice Luchini) is a rather jaded middle-aged literature teacher, who bonds with Claude, a 16-year-old student, over their joint passion for storytelling. Germain tutors Claude in how to structure his stories, how to create interesting characters and how to build suspense; but there is a twist: Claude feels he must act out his plot in real life before he can commit it to paper. This leads to him interloping into a schoolfriend’s family and seducing his friend’s mother (amongst other misdemeanours). What I love about this film, is that it has a gentle playful tone, whilst maintaining a level of suspense – we always need to know what happens next. Even the closing scene leaves us wondering if there could be a sequel at some stage, and perhaps that’s the point: there are always stories left to tell. Ozon, as usual, gets the pacing just right and weaves a clever, intricate plot that keeps us guessing. It is a great film in its own right but also a masterclass in how to write stories. I watch it over and over again.

(2)          American Fiction (2023 – Cord Jefferson)

Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is a black university professor and a writer of literary novels. His novels receive critical acclaim but do not sell; his publishers reject his latest manuscript for not being Black enough. To add to his troubles, he is suspended by the college over a hilarious racial incident involving a virtue-signalling white student. He is appalled by the overnight success of We’s Lives in Da Ghetto by a black writer, Sintara Golden, who he considers lacking in any real literary talent. So, he decides he can go one better and writes what he considers to be the trashiest novel ever, shamelessly pandering to Black stereotypes. However, the more outlandish he gets, the more successful his novel becomes. This is a very funny film with a very serious point underlying it. It is beautifully acted and skilfully directed by Jefferson. There is also a clever, rather meta, ending.

(3)          Non-Fiction (2018 – Olivier Assayas)

Léonard (Vincent Macaigne) is a well-known French novelist with a reputation for writing his stories directly from life experience (autofiction). To some extent most writers do this, however since Léonard writes in graphic detail about an extra-marital affair in his latest novel, this proves a little too close to home for some. Especially as he has been having an affair for several years with his own Editor’s wife, Selena (played by the wonderful Juliette Binoche), although he does at least try to mislead his readers with regard to her identity. His editor, Alain, refuses to publish Léonard’s next novel, which results in difficulties between him and Selena. Alain’s company hires a young woman, Laure, to adapt their publishing business to the digital age and she ends up in Alain’s bed. There are several interesting discussions about the morality of autofiction and about the future of long-form literature with the advent of more immediate, readily-available, short-form digital literature (eg blogs!). This is an entertaining film from start to finish and, though often very funny, it again has some intriguing points to make.

And the Honourable Mentions … (1) The Contenders

The following films are those that came very close to making my Top 3, but did not quite get there (the ‘bit’), listed in alphabetical order:

Deconstructing Harry (1997 – Woody Allen)

Harry Block, a successful writer played by Allen, draws inspiration from people he knows in real life, and from events that happen to him, often alienating these people in the process (autofiction again). He is a sex-addict with three unsuccessful marriages behind him, who now relies on the services of prostitutes as a less-expensive more-convenient alternative to relationships. Following a blocked period, he decides to attend his old college to receive an honorary degree, accompanied on the journey by his young son, a friend from way back who he hardly knows, and a prostitute with whom he happened to spend the previous night. Allen is in his element, and this is a very funny film.

Henry & June (1990 – Phillip Kaufman)

A biographical piece about the relationship between Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin in Paris in the early 1930s. Although happily married, Nin is restless and seeking excitement. She finds it in Miller who is working on his first novel: his bohemian lifestyle fascinates her, as does his rather unconventional wife, June. Nin becomes involved in the couple’s tormented relationship, having an affair with Miller and also pursuing June sexually. Nin helps Miller to publish his novel Tropic of Cancer, but in doing so facilitates the Millers’ separation. Whilst this is a historical piece, it also looks at the process of writing, in particular sources of inspiration. The film was notorious when it came out because of the sex scenes, however these are photographed delicately by Philippe Rousselot and directed with great intensity by Kaufman.

Sex and Lucia (2002 – Julio Medem)

Lorenzo (Tristán Ulloa) is a writer suffering from writer’s block. His girlfriend Lucia (Pas Vega) has walked out on him. He is tormented by a night of passion several years ago with Elena (although he never knew her name) and has recently discovered a child was born of that encounter. I will not attempt to explain the complex plot but by getting to know the child through her babysitter, Belén, Lorenzo finds his way back into writing, much of his subject matter being sexual fantasies involving Belén. The film plays around with time and so several stories from different time periods are skilfully inter-woven. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: Beneath the gratuitous nudity lies a complex and visually striking movie – I couldn’t have put it better myself!

Swimming Pool (2003 – François Ozon)

Uptight British crime novelist, Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) travels to her publisher’s summer house in France seeking solitude in order to work on her next novel. However, the arrival of his daughter, promiscuous wild-child Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) shatters her peace and creates various complications. Sarah uses Julie as source material for her novel, prying into her personal affairs and reading her diary. But tensions mount and ultimately a serious crime is committed. Again, we are looking here at where source material comes from and the moral questionability of ‘borrowing’ someone else’s story. Ozon, of course, has a clever trick or two up his sleeve, which makes the ending satisfyingly unclear!

And the Other Honourable Mentions … (2) Great films, but more about Writers than Writing

The following are great films in their own right, but were not really sufficiently on message for my Top 3, again listed in alphabetical order:

Atonement (2007 – Jow Wright)

An adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel which uses one of the character’s literary pursuits as a kind of framing device.

Capote (2005 – Bennett Miller)

The events surrounding the writing of Capote’s 1965 nonfiction book In Cold Blood and particularly his relationship with one of the murderers, Perry Smith.

The Ghost Writer (2010 – Roman Polanski)

A tense thriller about a ghost writer who, while assisting an ex-Prime Minister to write his memoirs, uncovers something deeply sinister.

Midnight in Paris (2011 – Woody Allen)

A comedy fantasy about a young American writer, holidaying in Paris with his fiancée, who chances across a portal allowing him to travel back in time and meet his literary heroes.

Misery (1990 – Rob Reiner)

Famed novelist Paul Sheldon writes romance novels featuring a character named Misery Chastain. Following a car accident in a remote spot, he has the misfortune to be taken in by a nurse who happens to be his biggest fan.

Reprise (2006 – Joachim Trier)

Phillip and Erik, two young Norwegian friends, both harbour ambitions of becoming writers but their lives take very different paths.

The Squid and the Whale (2005 – Noah Baumbach)

The story of an acrimonious marriage break-up between two writers and its effect on their two teenage children.

I am sure I have missed some great films about the writing process. If you know of any you think I should watch (i.e. that may deserve a place in my ‘Top 3 and a Bit’) please let me know. I will endeavour to find them and watch them.
REVIEW: The last One for the Road ★★★★☆

July 19, 2026

The last One for the Road is a 2025 comedy-drama road movie directed by Francesco Sossai, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Adriano Candiago. It had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025 and was released in the UK on 10 July 2026.

You know that moment when you arrive at the pub only to find that all your friends have been drinking for three hours and you are sober and on a completely different wavelength? That is how this film hit me. However, twenty minutes later I was hooked – it has an infectious quality.

Carlobianchi (Sergio Romano) and Doriano (Pierpaolo Capovilla) are two broke men in their fifties obsessed with the constant search for one more drink. Some time ago they made a lot of money fraudulently with their pal Genio (Andrea Pennacchi), who buried his share and ran away to Argentina when the going got tough. Our two chancers invested their share in a quality car, in which they now drive around, from drink to drink. They head to Venice to meet Genio on his return from his self-imposed exile, but go to the wrong airport by mistake. However, in Venice they meet up with shy, young, love-sick Architecture student Guilio (Filippo Scotti) and take him with them on their alcoholic odyssey.

That is not the plot, it is the set-up. I am not going to make any attempt to summarise the plot, as it would be a little like trying to summarise the plot in Waiting for Godot, and indeed there are echoes of Samuel Beckett here, albeit Beckett seen through an alcoholic haze. Whilst Beckett’s pair wait for Godot, these two chancers are waiting for the last drink; Godot never comes, and nor of course does the last drink, because there is always another one around the corner.

The trio work remarkably well together, with Guilio adding a more serious and down-to-earth dimension to the boozy duo. Amongst other things he takes them on a detour to Carlo Scarpa’s Brion Tomb in San Vito d’Altivole near Treviso – an awesome monument.

The last One for the Road is fun. It does not take itself too seriously. So long as you are happy to go along for the ride then this is a very pleasant way to spend 100 minutes, or so.