Press for the World Premiere at the 58th BFI London Film Festival includes: Electricity is damn impressive from start to finish, entirely anchored by Deyn’s courageous, sensitive and touching performance as Lily. Deyn is …one of the most promising young actors of her generation. I suspect she’s in line for some major nominations and hopefully wins come awards season. She’s got my vote. Bryn Higgins…directs like he’s got something to prove. This results in the world of Electricity being meticulously thematically constructed…Much of the film is naturalistic drama, but the trips into the avant-garde, apparently influenced by the work of Stan Brakhage, set the film apart from the usual Brit-flick. I could go on, but if you’re not convinced by now then I don’t know what else to say. Electricity is a seriously great film... It’s a tremendous achievement on all fronts and a credit to the British film industry. - - - - - - It’s hugely refreshing to come across a film as inventive and interesting as Electricity, which feels gritty and real without resorting to bland kitchen sink tropes…with director Bryn Higgins following an interesting physical journey to unearth a family secret and the emotional progress of its protagonist at the same time. The visual style is exciting, packed with colour and movement, as well as an excellent soundtrack. Agyness Deyn is stunning as Lily, crafting a believable and nuanced character with whom the audience can easily identify. Deyn does an excellent job of inhabiting a character who is both enormously strong and incredibly vulnerable ELECTRICITY blasts through its lean running time at a great pace and stands head and shoulders above many of its British contemporaries. - - - - - - - Bryn Higgins’s Electricity is the powerful story….Deyn puts in a truly astonishing performance as Lily, who refuses to be defined by her illness. She’s a tough but compassionate character which Deyn brings alive with ease. Joe Fisher’s screenplay is an adaptation of the Ray Robinson novel and transcribes the themes of the source material into a meaningful and touching film. Social realism plays a big part in this cinematic venture and Higgins manages to take a stigmatised topic and make it more accessible to the audience through the positive way that Lily discusses her condition as if it isn’t a big deal. With an engaging story spearheaded by its magnetising leading lady, Electricity is a beautifully sculpted film with an honest message which makes it one of the standout entries in the London BFI Film Festival. - - - - - - - - - An unusual, beautiful, stunning, exciting thrill ride. Every once in a while, a UK film manages to adhere to all that’s best in British, and be something that is truly ‘stand-alone’ brilliant. Part road movie, part surreal, fantastical triumph of the spirit, and strong urban drama, Electricity is simply one of the best films to be made here for some time. Firstly, the story is told bravely bang smack, through the eyes of the central character…Aygness Deyn, whose portrayal of Lily, explodes on the screen. The direction by Bryn Higgins is awe-inspiring. His blending of the dramatic, heart rending elements of the Lily’s search for her brother, with the fantastical, sometimes horrifying and spiritual elements of her inner journey and the struggle to deal with epilepsy is beautiful, and show him to be a master of his craft. Shot beautifully by Si Bell…the colours, shots, framing and style of the photography is breath-taking. The editing, special effects, supporting cast, locations, wardrobe, make up, production design, even the title credits are all stunningly crafted, to make this rare, wonderful film, so full of depth, thrills, and hope, with a wonderful triumph of the spirit story at its core. It deserves all the accolades it will surely get, and every bit of commercial success it gets too, for here is a true UK masterpiece, that like all masterpieces, would appeal to a wide audience. Five stars and rising.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 09:48:37 +0000