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Jonathan Empson writes ‘mercifully short reviews’, the best of which we republish here on The Story Department.
Café de Flore Mercifully Short Review by Jonathan Empson Antoine has it all. (Oh dear: you don’t want to be a character who has it all at the start of a film.) He has beautiful kids and a hot wife, and he’s a hot international DJ. He also speaks French (which is hot) as … Read more
The Deep Blue Sea Mercifully Short Review by Jonathan Empson This melodrama set in post-war London starts with Hester (Rachel Weisz) trying to kill herself in a traditionally genteel 1950s way – with gas. Perhaps it’s to avoid having to star in the rest of this rather glacial film, and it represents the high … Read more
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Mercifully Short Review by Jonathan Empson Fisheries boffin Fred Jones (Ewan McGregor) doesn’t suffer fools gladly, so when Harriet (Emily Blunt), a sheik’s UK adviser, asks him to head a project to bring salmon to the Yemen for sport fishing, he tells her to sling her hook. Then the … Read more
Goodbye, First Love Mercifully Short Review by Jonathan Empson Original title: Un Amour de Jeunesse Camille (Lola Creton) is sexy but clingy, and suffering teen angst over the imminent departure of her boyfriend Sullivan to South America. The angst continues into her 20s as he falls off the map and she studies to be an … Read more
21 Jump Street Mercifully Short Review by Jonathan Empson We first meet Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) as respective geek and jock teens failing to get to their high school prom. Years later, they’re unlikely partners helping each other get through police academy. After cocking up their first arrest they’re assigned to … Read more