Hard not to love, despite its myriad faults
Mark is a star player for the B team of The Stags, a struggling South London gay rugby club. He lives in a penthouse with his long-term partner Richard, who travels constantly for work, and has little interest in Mark’s rugby. Meanwhile his best friend, also in the club, is struggling with the problems his heavy drinking is causing, and the club manager is thinking of scrapping the B team.
One night across a crowded bar, Mark catches the eye of Warren, a player with the A team, who is also in a long-term relationship, with another A team player. The two have a drunken one-nighter, which surprises both of them by turning into a love affair and threatening to tear apart, not just four lives, but the whole team.
In From the Side is the second feature from Matt Carter who has directed, co-written (along with Adam Silver), produced, photographed, edited, done the visual effects, written the music, and from memory, even got involved in costume design. So to be blunt, this is somewhat like a high-budget student film. There is a lot about this feature that doesn’t work: some of the writing is clichéd; a couple of the performances are excruciatingly wooden; the editing (both visual and sound) is slapdash; the songs are corny; too many dialogue-heavy scenes have god-awful music playing over them the entire time (why???); and the whole film is about 45 minutes too long.
And yet, and yet…there is something utterly adorable about this work. It is a simple tale, told with warmth and passion. At its heart is the love of rugby, and especially the growing gay rugby scene. Main stars Alexander Lincoln as Mark, and Alexander King as Warren, have great on-screen chemistry, and are both delightful to look at. Pearse Egan quietly steals every scene he is in as Pinky. There are some lovely bits of writing around team camaraderie, the rugby shots are fantastic, and the sex is super hot.
A tighter screenplay, and a more experienced editor, could have made this into the much, much, better film it is desperately trying to be. Still, Carter has delivered two hours of enjoyable (albeit occasionally cringeful) screen work.
If you are into rugby, queer cinema, or good old tales of star-crossed lovers, then In From the Side is one for you.
In From the Side screens as part of the Cunard British Film Festival, and Palace Nova Cinema Eastend and Prospect, from October 18th to November 16th.
Click here for further information, and to book tickets.
More News
