BOILING POINT

UK, 2021, 93 minutes, Colour.

Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Jason Flemyng, Alice Feetham, Hannah Walters, Malachi Kirby, Izuka Hoyle, Taz Skylar, Lauryn Ajufo, Ray Panthaki, Lurdes Fabares, Daniel Larkai, Robbie O'Neill, Aine Rose Daly.

Directed by Philip Barantini.

Boiling Point is quite a film! A brief synopsis would not make it stand out: an night at an outer London restaurant, staff and their work, diners. In fact, that is what it is about, but the synopsis does not indicate what impact this will all make. With the title, Boiling Point, there is something of an indication of tension, frustrations and anger. (Alternate titles might include Kitchen Tenterhooks, Desperation behind the Menu, Continually Frazzled Nerves!)

There is a mysterious opening, a man hurrying through the streets, his mobile phone, arriving at the restaurant – and the audience discovering that this is Andy, owner of the restaurant, the chef. We see that he is played by Stephen Graham, stalwart of British drama, a presence in Scorsese films, more recently in British television miniseries.

The film is directed and co-written by Philip Barentini, an actor who has moved to film direction, here employing the single take technique for immediacy and continuity. The audience moves very quickly into the life of the restaurant, the activities in the kitchen, the busyness with the diners.

There is continual activity throughout the film, from the initial sequences where an inspector is looking at the work of each of the kitchen staff, challenging Andy on his bookkeeping, demoting the status of the restaurant to three from five – but indicating that there could be a recovery. And then it is in the kitchen, some of the staff already at work, others arriving late, Andy having to deal with a whole range of personalities and touches of temperament. And, the staff is quite multi-racial (something which will emerge from bigoted diners).

As the kitchen staff move into a faster pace, Andy at the counter with his associate, Carly (Vinnette Robinson), a very sympathetic character in her valiant efforts to keep everything on track, losing her cool with the floor manager, an extraordinary emotional outburst. The various other personalities, whom we get to know very quickly and personally, the skill of the writing as well as some effective dramatic improvising, Tony with the oysters, Freeman cooking the meat (a touch of the prima donna especially when lamb is returned and he explains how lamb should be cooked), the French Camille who does not understand Andy’s accent so well, the pastry cook and her associate, the exasperated woman who does the washing up and her rather laid-back assistant who turns up late. We also get to know some of the front of house characters, though not so well with detail, mainly Emily who runs things in a bossy way and who is the target of Carly’s outburst, and the waitresses, Andrea who suffers the racial taunts, Robyn, free and easy who is late because she has gone to an acting audition.

And, there are successful vignettes with the diners, the bigoted father buying expensive wine and dominating his family as well as racially targeting Andrea, the young man whose girlfriend has a nuts allergy and who suffers a dramatic turn at the end of the meal, a group of girls who flirt with the waiter, some young men who want instagram photos. And, there is the television restaurant critic, Jason Flemyng, with an elegant fellow-reviewer. And we discover he has more interest in the restaurant itself than reviewing, putting financial pressure on Andy.

And all this happens in 90 minutes. Drama and tension, well delineated characters, effective small glimpses of work in the kitchen, of the diners.

At the end, it all has quite an effect on Andy as it does on us. Arresting British filmmaking.

1. The title? Angers and frustration? The kitchen and cooking?
2. The atmosphere, kitchen tenterhooks, desperation behind the menu, frazzled temperaments and clashes? Audience empathy with particular characters, situations, sharing angers and frustrations?
3. The action taking place over one evening? The camera work, single shot, pacing, realism?
4. The Dalston setting, outer London? The introduction to Andy, pacing the streets, in a hurry, phone calls, frequently saying he was sorry? His arriving at the restaurant, the discovery that he was the chef, the owner, responsible?
5. One night at the restaurant, those working in the kitchen, for those waiting and serving, for the range of guests for the meals? Establishing the characters and their activities, relationships? The brief vignettes building up a picture of life in the restaurant, the guests, the waiters playing to the guests, clashes with the guests? And the reviewers of the meals and the restaurant? The initial sequences with the supervisor, going to each of the kitchen staff, his comments on their behaviour, methods? Sitting down with Andy, looking at the books, dissatisfaction with the information kept? The status of the restaurant moving from five down to three? Possibilities for recovering the status?
6. The kitchen, Andy in charge, but emotional bursts, his demands on the members of the staff, criticisms, apologies? The need to phone home, wife, son, apologies? His own particular skills, at the bench with Carly, partnership, relying on her, the particular skills, preparing the plates? With each of the staff, Freeman and his cooking, angry, the meats, the meal being sent back? Camille and washing her hands? Friend and Italy with accents? Tony and the oysters? The cooks with the sweets? The boy and the slashes on his arms? The motherly cook and embrace? Advice for the sweets, tasting? His continued drinking – and the later cocaine and alcohol?
7. Alastair Skye and Sarah, reviewing, television, reputations? Their conversations, discussions of the food? Skye, scruffy appearance, friendship with Andy, Andy coming to sit with them, the discussions, the revelation about the £200,000, Skye’s need, and his inability to pay?
8. Emily in charge, demands on everyone, her manner, the blow up with Carly, blunt truths told, emotional effect, her going to the bathroom, recovering? Her ability with the guests, with the men wanting instant photos? Her relationship with Andy?
9. Robin, arriving late, discussions with Andrea, auditions, at the table with the family, chatting with the others? The men at the bar, manner, camp style, playing to the guests – especially with the flirting women?
10. The family, the father in charge, expensive wine, Andrea bringing the wine, the racist attitudes, her return with the meat, his complaint, his attack and not wanting her to touch?
11. The genial young man, his girlfriend, allergy to nuts, enjoying the meal, her turn, helping, the ambulance, Andy coping, Skye and his presence, the review of the incident in the kitchen, Camille and her realising what she had done, upset?
12. The men with the instagram photos, wanting Andrea to be in the photos, her reluctance? Emily resolving the situation?
13. The woman doing the washing up, exasperation, the helper, arriving late, easy-going, the drugs, with the staff?
14. The growing tension, people being frazzled (and the audience as well)? Coping with the number of diners, managing the difficulties? How lamb should be cooked!?
15. The evening ending, the impact of the allergy turn, the effect on Andy, the pressure from Skye, the discussions with Carly, her exasperation, feeling she couldn’t go on?
16. Andy going to his office, the cocaine, the drinking, the phone calls? Throwing away the cocaine, pouring out the alcohol? His going out, his collapse?
17. And audience speculation about the future?