Two & Two ★★★★★

Review of 'Two & Two ' which can be found here on the BBC Film Network.

Length: 08:32

Written by Babak Anvari & Gavin Cullen and directed by Babak Anvari

Genre: Drama

Date: 2010

Rating: ★★★★★

Logline: A defiant school boy stands up to a teacher who demands they disregard the truth.

Yes it's in a foreign language with subtitles, but don't let that put you off from watching this UK production. This is a simple idea but a provocative one. Set entirely in one stark and uninviting room, there is enough drama to keep you hooked for the entirety. The main concept looks at the issue of dictatorship, oppression and resilience but there are no doubt lots of other themes weaved into this piece which works on many levels.

Bijan Daneshmand takes the role of authoritarian tutor who commands the attention of his class, and the audience. His performance is unflinching as the cold and tyrannical antagonist. All of the kids are also brilliant, naturalistic and comfortable in front of the camera. (At least they give that impression. It's sometimes hard to judge dialogue delivery of a foreign tongue.)

The plot pivots around a central and fixating question which is not left unanswered. The opening sequence is a long one minute but other than that, this runs to a very clear structure which hits all the right beats. The story reaches a great climax but also ends with a nice statement during the resolution scene.

Lighting and colouring is done well considering the drab environment. The film shows a high standard of production through picture quality, framing of shots, editing and sound. No soundtrack is played to enhance tension during the film, instead silence plays the pivotal part and is just as effective in driving tone and mood.

Would this have worked equally well in English? Quite probably. The foreign setting suits the story well but it is possibly less shocking with smaller impact for audiences because of this. Again, it is testament to the simplicity of the idea which proves it can still pack a punch with a minimalistic feel.

Best Bit: Excellent concept.

Worst Bit: Having to read subtitles and the long title sequence.

Final thought: Wish I had an invisible gun.

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.