Starring: Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke, Hayley Squires, Elizabeth Rider, Frank McCusker, Ann Firbank
Distributor: Kismet Unit Trust
Runtime: mins. Reviewed in Sep 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Kate is in her mid 30s and works in a London office. She has low self-esteem, lacks self-awareness and longs for relationships. In her encounter with a client, her hopes are raised but also dashed. A close-up, extreme close-up, portrait of Kate, the film is something of a case-study.
It is not usual to refer to a film, a fiction feature, as a ‘case study’. However, it seems helpful to use it here.
As regards the title, there is a glimpse of a text, from a dating agency, during the film which refers to ‘true things to tell’. And, the novel on which the screenplay is based is actually called True Things About Me. So, a film about revelations, and self-revelations.
The me is Kate, in her mid- to late-30s. A complex mixture of insecurities portrayed by Wilson (whose usual roles are those of strong, even aggressive women). We know little about Kate initially. We see her at work, but soon realise that she is not entirely dependable, is late, act on whims, is threatened by her boss, exasperating her good friend.
Then, suddenly, there is a development. She is friendly towards a young man, a client of the firm, who is out of prison. We realise that she is quite susceptible to male charm.
Important for this film as a case study is the visual style of the director and the cinematographer, the use of frequent close-ups, and extreme close-ups, focusing on Kate, her face, her expressions. And this is reinforced by the style of some of the close-ups, hand-held camera work, leading the audience to a more intimate look at Kate.
The main drama is how she handles this attraction, this relationship with the young man, whom she calls Blond because of his dyed hair (Burke, Robert Galbraith’s Cormorant Strike in the television films of the series). Kate is comfortable in his presence, despite his sometimes offhand manner, but seemingly genuine protestations of love, even borrowing her car and not returning it for a week with no explanations. He reassures her, and, for a time, she is reassured. However, with a visit to her parents and her outburst against her mother who takes great offence, we realise that Kate has low self-esteem. And this adds to her insecurities and uncertainties with Blond.
In the language of discernment for making decisions, when she feels desolate, she overindulges superficial cheerfulness, dressing up stylishly and going on a date set up by her friend, drinking, flirting, trying to impose herself on him sexually and his resisting. Her seeming worthlessness is reinforced.
The final act of the film is Blond invites Kate to a wedding celebration in Spain. She is full of hope. He says the usual things but also acts in his usual casual, offhand way with her. Will she stay? Will she go? How will this all affect her?
This film has no answers. It does suggest some hope. However, we have 90 minutes or so of the close-up portrait of Kate, are invited to speculate about her and her personality – a case-study.
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