Contemporary England is currently experiencing a dreadful and prolonged period of rainfall, resulting in catastrophic flooding. As a consequence, cities situated in low-lying areas have been completely devastated, forcing people to desperately seek refuge in higher ground. In the midst of this chaos, humanity begins to turn against itself, with individuals trampling over one another in a desperate quest for scarce food supplies. Some opt to seek solace and seclusion in island communities, while others choose to hold onto their past, memories, and hopes for the future.
In this tumultuous world, we are introduced to Jodie Comer, a young hairdresser, and her husband. On the night of the flood, Jodie gives birth, thrusting our trio into the daunting task of navigating this disaster while caring for a newborn baby. The film's overarching concept revolves around portraying the everyday challenges and frustrations faced by Jodie as a mother within this context. Jodie's character finds solace and companionship in the form of another mother, portrayed by Katherine Waterston. Their story is a touching and seldom-seen tale of shared burdens, empathy, female friendship, and resilience. Watch the complete movie on Flixtor.
Mahalia Belo's directorial debut boasts numerous strengths, including a confident visual style, breathtaking landscape shots, and haunting CGI effects that depict a post-flood London, all achieved on what appears to be a limited budget. Belo manages to extract commendable performances from her cast, particularly the immensely talented Jodie Comer in the lead role, as well as Katherine Waterston, who arguably portrays the most well-developed character.
However, the film, based on Megan Hunter's novel and adapted by screenwriter Alice Birch, suffers from being inadequately written. It fails to offer anything substantially new in the realm of disaster movies, instead merely combining it with the insecurities and challenges of new motherhood. Furthermore, the characters themselves feel underdeveloped. I found Jodie Comer's character to be lacking in substantial depth and purpose. Regrettably, Joel Fry's character is given even less to work with. Although there is a climactic moment towards the end of the film intended to evoke deep emotions, I personally failed to connect with it due to my lack of belief in the characters and their relationships, aside from the bond between Comer and Waterston.
We possess a few cameo appearances, however, they do not contribute significantly. I am eager to witness Belo's future projects, but I anticipate a more robust screenplay for her to showcase her talents.
