Audition

I watched over half of it and then turned it off, a waste of good actors. A low budget film doesn't mean a bad film, some little films are jewels but not this one. A script is everything in a film and this one is rubbish. I like the lead actor and some others but the script let them down.

For a low-budget, first feature film, Audition is just alright. Whelan's script heavily incorporates the play, Doctor Faustus, without really exploring it; and any thematic connection to the plot is tenuous at best. The film deals with ambition & coping with insecurities, but there are better films that don't gloss over a serious mental health issue. The sound editing /ADR is just bad. Honestly, curiosity to see Durham's portrayal was the biggest draw. Should have called the film Daddy Issues.

Building on the promise of 2020's short film 'Connected, Connection.', Ed Whelan's first feature length film is an examination of the price artists are willing to pay for success. 'Whiplash' was surely a key influence, but the protagonists in Whelan's film are younger, and are not bound to one specific career path. Similar films engage with young artists on the make (as in Whiplash); in 'Audition', Alex's character arc charts the step before this phase, and his soul-searching is a revealing depiction of self-knowledge and commitment. A slick and well-acted piece, supported by an excellent score, 'Audition' is an impressive achievement from a young filmmaker and his cast and crew.

'Audition' provides an intimate insight into a young actor's personal struggle for success. The masterful directing and cinematography, alongside the raw nature of the acting, immediately causes you to be gripped by and invested in the characters most intimate emotions. The beautifully orchestrated shots, coupled with the moving and wistful soundtrack, serve to perfectly compliment the tone of the film. Two years in the making, Ed Whelan's first feature film is a true accomplishment and more than worth the wait.

The film starts slow, with the main character auditioning for a role in a student play at a university. However, it quickly becomes apparent how high are the stakes and that to succeed in his role, he will have to sacrifice more than he might be willing to. The main character, Alex (Romilly Carboni), is delivered exceptionally well, which surely wasn't an easy feat, given the range of character's emotions, as the events transform him. Separate praise must go to Jack Firoozan for his role of Elliot - the mysterious and mostly quiet character, who's also responsible for some of the most powerful moments in the film. The strong performances are further complemented by the expertly crafted soundtrack that amplifies the emotions, and, together with the editing, ensures the second half of the film grabs your entire attention and keeps you completely immersed until the very ending. I find it hard to believe that it was the crew's debut feature film. With such a strong start, we can surely expect to see some of the names behind the Audition's success walk the red carpet in a couple of years.

The acting is absolutely horrendous and ruins everything about this movie. This is especially the case with the director figure, Tom. It's funny because he's looking to cut people from his play but he should have been cut from the movie altogether. Give it a try, but you'll know what I'm talking about very quickly.

Edward Whelan's "Audition" portrays the internal mental struggle between one's actions and one's lack of confidence. Despite this topic being particularly delicate and challenging to pull-off, Whelan and his team successfully execute an ambitious script, which demonstrates a personal triumph against inner demons - further highlighting the need to talk about mental health in today's day and age. The underlying, wiry tension between Alex and Elliot was subtly embellished throughout the course of the film due to intelligent scoring by Samuel Read. This, in conjunction with clever lighting and seamless editing further developed an impending sense of turmoil that crescendoed scarily towards the final performance and shock ending. Overall, the cinematography of this piece is truly extraordinary and a credit to Whelan's vision and implementation of his script from page to screen. The cut-away shots paying homage to his alma mater and shining a light on the beauty of rural Durham, for the world to see. Acting debuts across the board were particularly strong, in particular by Rose Galbraith, Jack Firoozan and Barney Mercer. We await in earnest for Edward Whelan's next piece.