Undoubtedly influenced by the classic British films of the 70s like Ken Loach’s Kes or Bill Forsyth’s Gregory Girl, Pond Life is in fact set in the mid nineties, with references to Wet Wet Wet’s chart domination, and, equally inexplicably in retrospect, Tony Blair beating John Prescott to be Prime Minister.
With its beautiful cinematography and acoustic, purring soundtrack by Richard Hawley, it’s about as soporific as a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Richard Cameron, who wrote this, and the director Bill Buckhurst, aren’t concerned with tightly plotted action, which is just as well. It’s adapted from the play, and it shows. Focusing on prosaic lives, and eccentric outsiders alike, his wry eye is squarely on the minutiae of daily life.
Here, there is not so much a manic pixie dream girl as laconic pixie dream girl Pogo (a fine performance from Esme Creed-Miles) who carries a kazoo and is obsessed with field recordings. There is effortless support from Angus Imrie as oddball Malcolm, Tom Varey’s sensible fisherman Trevor, and Daisy Edgar-Jones as vain, flighty Cassie.
A storyline around fishing for giant carp, lippy kids, family members in prison and fledgling young love means nothing much penetrates or bursts this soapy bubble.
In short, it all falls just the right side of quirky, even as traumas and trouble threaten to pull apart the tight-knit little community.
Currently screening at the Glasgow Film Theatre.
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