"Following" (1998)

(Director) Christopher Nolan

(Writer) Christopher Nolan

(Producer) Emma Thomas

(Distributor) Momentum Pictures

I've always been a sucker for stories involving heart pounding heists and life risking robberies. From "Bonnie & Clyde" to "Reservoir Dogs" and "Ocean's Eleven" they've been, what I consider, an important part to the evolution of stimulating cinematic experiences. Like a fine culinary dish, films involving complicated thievery tend to either be delicacies or failures. Something essential to their success is to provoke stimulation in the audience to the point of grinding teeth and sweaty palms. To make you feel like what's happening on your screen is not only plausible but pulled from personal experience. Not only do Christopher Nolan's films promote such illimitable thought and irresistible candy for the senses, they also set a standard for the rest of Hollywood; be innovative. Even before realizing the kind of acclaim that would be awaiting him, at the dawning of Nolan's career, a personal bar was set with a limited budget art film called "Following".

"Following" takes place in the gloomy city of London, England. Centering around the perspective of Danny (Jeremy Theobald), a young man who is in between jobs and looking for some excitement in his life by engaging in what he calls "shadowing people"; following strangers around the city to see where they go and what sort of lives they lead. By a stroke of luck Danny begins to follow around master thief Cobb (Alex Haw) and after an awkward encounter due to Danny's clumsy sneaking abilities, the two team up and engage in a fistful of heists. During these daring adventures, Danny encounters a beautiful young woman (Lucy Russell) who remains nameless but is referred to in the credits as "The Blonde".

Without any hesitation I can safely say this film's screenplay teeters on sheer brilliance. The entire story isn't told in chronological order but does a fantastic job at making sure you don't get lost. Every character is put into the story with a purpose and there's no useless introductions that leave you wondering. There are a few instances where you feel like Nolan was getting somewhat of a Tarantino complex. Causing a bit of character drivel to linger on for a little longer than needed. The amazing part about this is even during what some might deem the "slow parts" I still felt completely engaged in the storyline and what was happening with the characters. Their interactions feel human, familiar and natural but are creatively drizzled with robust, over-the-top dialogue. The plot is near flawless and so solid that you'd be hard pressed to be find ANY inconsistencies. There's a few pacing issues that can be chucked up to experimental editing though. This causes some of the scenes to feel short lived and slightly sporadic. Luckily there's enough time devoted to character development, twists, turns and surprises that I was too busy biting my nails to be very concerned.

You'd never guess that the cast and crew in this film weren't professionals or dispensed from Hollywood vending machines. Everybody was fresh and new to the scene but played their parts so proficiently that I would have never guessed as much. To my surprise, during some reading through the forums for "Following" I noticed several people complaining about the acting. I couldn't disagree more and felt like the actors brought each character's persona to life quite vividly. You're able to understand their personality traits, where they could be coming from and what sort of character creation Nolan was aiming for. Something I really enjoyed about the characters was even though they fit noir cliches there was still originality to their motives and behavior. I especially enjoyed the whimsical and arrogant dialogue given to Alex Haw's character. While you're instantly aware of his smug attitude, you can't help wondering what he's going to do or say next. At one point in the film his character dares you to question your preconceptions about the morality behind a burglar's motives.

The technical aspects might be lackluster to some individuals (including the use of black & white) but I insist that everybody remember that the film was created by a, at the time, unseasoned director. With a budget of only $6,000, "Following" is surprisingly beautiful and fits with the theme of the characters. When the story focuses entirely on Cobb and Danny, everything seems dismal, dirty and uninviting; the life of a thief. When we're around Lucy Russell's character there's a sense of elegance and majestic sexiness. Not everyone will feel this way, I think but my experience led me to believe that every scene was shot to enhance the characters and what was going on in the story.

"Following" is definitely worth watching and if you have Netflix or anything similar, consider moving this to the top of your queue. With a running time of only an hour and nine minutes, you find yourself surprised at how well the story progresses and how immersed you become. The film ends on a delightful twist that might leave you a bit shocked because I find it hard to believe that anyone could possibly "see it coming". Even in the beginning Christopher Nolan showed audiences that he had the intelligence, ambition and prolific mindset to tell a tale worth remembering and passing on to future generations.