Boiling Point was directed by Philip Barantini, whose previous film, Villain, was an above-average thug-flick starring Craig Fairbrass. It didn't really give us an inkling of what would follow though. In an exciting gear shift the director has given us a one-take drama starring Stephen Graham and many of the cast from Villain, set in an upmarket London restaurant. Events come to a head on several fronts that put the staff under immense pressure and it makes for a stressful, gripping watch. All the cast are excellent and this really shows that low-budget films can be contenders. There are small quibbles but I won't mention them here because they seem churlish to bring up in the face of what this brilliant team has achieved - a one-take movie that makes you forget its gimmick. It's more immersive than theatre and the odd plot-blip aside, Barantini, Graham, and Boiling Point's cast have set the bar high for British independent filmmakers. There's no excuse not to be this good every time.
This is a thoroughly engrossing drama set on one very busy night in a plush restaurant. The use of the one shot take doesn't feel at all like a gimmick and doesn't distract from the great performances and the clever way little character traits are revealed as the night spirals towards it's calamitous end. Stephen Graham stars as Andy, the head chef, whose life is falling apart and his late arrival at work signals the stress that he and his team are already under. As the evening begins the cacophony from the rogues gallery of customers unleashes the drama. We have the bullying man on Table 7, the group of drunken men wanting food that is 'off menu' and a couple who highlight that one of them has a nut allergy. To top it all the arrival of the passive aggressive celebrity chef, Alastair (Jason Flemyng) who has a famous food critic with him puts Andy and his team under extra pressure and he and Alastair have deeper issues as will be revealed. I just didn't know if I'd enjoy this especially as the one take film has often felt too contrived to me and detracts from the narrative but in this situation it worked seamlessly. It's a first rate drama that draws you in totally making for a very enjoyable film.