Armed to the teeth with classic film tropes, Film Club does exactly what it says on the tin and so much more. The show follows Aimee Lou Wood as Evie as she struggles with her agoraphobia following a breakdown at work. Aimee Lou Wood dazzles again in a year of truly astonishing performances. Those who know Wood only from Sex Education, though there can’t be many left following the success of The White Lotus (HBO Max) and Daddy Issues (BBC iPlayer) earlier this year, will be happy to know that she is still one of the most emotionally literate actors on the scene at the moment. Playing opposite her is Nabhaan Rizwan, who recently charmed audiences as Dionysus in Netflix’s Kaos, excelling in his role as Evie’s awkward hypochondriac best friend, Noa. The pair have a delightful chemistry, with their secret language of film quotes creating a level of intimacy the audience can’t help but be enchanted by.

These two are surrounded by a cast of distinctive and compelling characters who, initially at least, can be placed into classic film character tropes themselves: the effusive boyfriend, the sulky teen sister, the overbearing mother. All the characters are incredibly well rounded; from the endearing Steph to the aloof Samantha, there is not a single weak performance. However, though he has little screen time, Owen Cooper (Netflix’s Adolescence) has one of the most engaging performances of the show. His interactions with Evie are funny and, as the show progresses, increasingly heartfelt as we see the sibling-like closeness they have developed.

At a time where mental health is an incredibly topical discussion, the topic is handled deftly and with care, centralised but not overwhelming. In a clever directorial choice, each episode is articulated in terms of the film being shown at that week’s film club, highlighting Evie’s dependence on the ritual for escapism. Shots are pulled almost directly from the films in question; Evie battles a hurricane keeping her in the house when they watch The Wizard of Oz and is able to imagine herself stepping through the front step only in an Alien style spacesuit. The integration of these scenes littered throughout the show are their genius, undeniable though they are they don’t feel alienating, if you’ll excuse the pun, but rather are yet another method in which the writers – Wood and Ralph Davis who also features in the show as Dominic – choose to show Evie’s struggles when she herself cannot find the words to express them.

The constant playing into romcom tropes won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it feels like the scenes pulled from the film club’s films, to be another natural way of showing the depth in which Evie’s life is entrenched in film. The eagle eyed will be able to pick up on what the episode has in store for the characters by clocking what film they are screening that week and the beauty is that it develops all characters, not just Evie and Noa. Evie’s mum Suz (Suranne Jones) and sister Izzie (Liv Hill) are not only fully formed and relatable characters, they allow the impact of mental illness on family members to be explored without seeming accusatory. Izzie is a textbook glass child; with Suz understandably preoccupied with her eldest, Izzie is often left to fend for herself, but the blame is not put on Evie for taking up space as it sometimes can be in shows like these, but rather it’s allowing a different and sympathetic perspective for the audience.

VERDICT:

Though life through Evie’s eyes may be disorienting but the original look at mental illness and escapism is nevertheless clear and thought-provoking. The pacing of the individual episodes – which are just half an hour each – is perfect for both viewers who want to binge it in one go and those whose attention spans need a little more of a break, while not falling into the trap of many recent shows in assuming the audience will be only half paying attention. Well worth a watch, Film Club is completely absorbing, but in a time where many of us are using film or television for escapism ourselves, the show is a perfect mix of being brilliantly engaging while also quietly reminding the audience that they cannot live solely within these fictional worlds.

4/5

Film Club is available to stream on BBC iPlayer, or on BBC 3 Tuesdays at 10pm. 

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