Following (1998)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell
Runtime: 69 minutes

Synopsis: A young writer who follows strangers for material meets a thief who takes him under his wing.

Performances: 7/10
Screenplay: 7/10
Editing: 7/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10

Verdict: Christopher Nolan's directorial debut may not be his most ambitious project, but certainly qualifies as an inspiring one for young filmmakers. Made with an astonishingly low budget of $6,000 and endless rehearsals in order to save on expensive 16mm film reels, the black and white movie (I'm guessing due to budgetary reasons that wouldn't allow Nolan to have proper lighting on set) is here to prove that the journey to success begins with a single step.

"Following" is ambitious, but it's also a very clever neo-noir thriller that is almost reminiscent of Wilder or Hitchcock's work. It's filled with unexpected twists, all of which are set up in a pretty efficient way that will definitely leave you putting together the pieces of a complex puzzle at the end. The only legitimate complaint I have about it, however, is the fact that once you figure out what's happening, nothing about it will really push you to rewatch it in the future. It's a good one-time watch that goes by fairly quickly due to a runtime of barely over an hour, and that's all the time you'll most likely give it ever.

Now that I've finished my Nolan marathon, I can say with certitude that despite not loving "Insomnia", I do prefer the less grandiose Nolan that relied more on storytelling than concepts. He has established himself as a blockbuster magnate for 15 years now, but I do hope that he one day returns to his more grounded times and makes an indie-like film.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10