Soho Cigarette
Director: Jonathan Fairbairn
Cast: David Galea, Jean Baptiste Fillon, Andreea Padurara
Length: 96 minutes
Country: UK
Soho Cigarette, the debut feature by Jonathan Fairbairn is a difficult film to approach. It’s both frustrating and original, its script meandering whilst also featuring moments of genuine inspiration. It’s a film that puts story second to style but isn’t too burdened by this because it’s made with such confidence and precision. Above all else, the film displays a great deal of talent even if the pieces aren’t yet coming together perfectly.
The film follows D (David Galea), a young cocky Italian man who after being kicked out by his girlfriend (Andreea Padurara) is forced to sleep on his friend Luc’s (Jean Baptiste Fillon) couch and earn money by taking tourists on rock n’ roll tours around the backstreets of London.
It’s clear from the outset that Soho Cigarette could be labeled as a film that prioritises style over substance. The direction and ‘cool’ music used are almost always the main focus of the scene. However, when a film is shot so assertively and the mood of London is captured so beautifully by monochromatic shading and stylish music, it’s difficult to view this as a flaw – at least not one that severely affects the quality of the feature.
The script is perhaps the film’s main failing. It is often ham fisted and fails to make the characters particularly interesting. One can’t help but imagine what it would have been like if Fairbairn had spent as much time perfecting his story as organising his shots. However, even this has undeniable moments of brilliance. At one point Luc explains the parallels between D’s ex-girlfriend talking about their relationship and a description of a car accident. It’s an unexpected, oddly affecting interaction and perhaps sensing this is one of the stronger sequences of dialogue, Fairbairn keeps the camera in one place and lets the scene naturally unfold. This potential is shown again on one of D’s rock n roll tours where an absurd argument between a group of tourists and himself occurs with unexpected comic value. Fairbairn creates these situations with real flair but unfortunately, he is content to let his characters wander about with not much to say or do for the majority of the running time.
Soho Cigarette is shot so assertively and the mood of London is captured so beautifully by monochromatic shading and stylish music
Lead actor David Galea’s performance is often clumsy but can also show a hint of gravitas. He is unable to completely overcome the clichéd and one-dimensional nature of his character but his natural talents, like his director, show that even if his skills aren’t perfected as of yet, he is still one to watch. The same can be said for the supporting cast who all possess natural charisma.
Danny Boyle once commented that: “Although your first film may not be your most successful or your most accomplished, it has a sense of guesswork, inventiveness and freshness that you never get again”. Watching Fairbairn’s debut feature, it is easy to see where he’s coming from. Soho Cigarette is imperfect and its focus on womanizers who never seem to go anywhere without a cigarette in their mouth can be frustrating. However, it’s hard not to be drawn into a film where its director has such a natural eye for the composition of a shot and is coming to grips with his art.
It’s easy to see that Fairbairn still has a lot to learn, but a sense of a genuine talent emerging combined with a few scenes of inspiration is enough to make Soho Cigarette an interesting watch.
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