Film review: The Comedian starring Edward Hogg

(15)

The Comedian starring Edward Hogg

Shot on a shoestring, this British drama is an earnest attempt to capture the confusions of love and sex in North London bohemia.

Edward Hogg plays a disaffected thirtysomething who's bored by his call-centre job and not good enough at what he wants to be – a stand-up comedian. (An early shot of him silently staring into the abyss after a disastrous routine is the best thing here).

The film ramblingly follows his emotional wavering between the woman (Elisa Lasowski) he shares a flat with, and the man (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) he's falling in love with.

Director Tom Shkolnik likes long takes and the spontaneous feel of ordinary chat, but the latter requires powers of improvisation beyond these actors – it's beyond most actors. Scenes drag on too long as the performers cast around for things to say.

Projecting a character is hard enough, and harder still without the prop of a script.