BOILING POINT

Some of the stories and sequences on display are riveting to watch but Boiling Point touches upon a few too many themes and subjects to keep the movie focused at all times.

The heat of the professional kitchen is an arena ripe for excellent drama: British film Boiling Point proves that once again.

The movie takes place during an evening service in the restaurant of chef Andy Jones, who is fighting personal and professional demons that risk pulling him under permanently, but draws in the frustrations of half a dozen other staff members as well, as the evening heads for a (you guessed it) boiling point.

Some of the stories and sequences on display are riveting to watch - a standout is the sous-chef's tale, helped immensely by a brilliant Vinette Robinson performance - but Boiling Point touches upon a few too many themes and subjects to keep the movie focused at all times.

I'd also question the decision to shoot the film as a one-take single shot, as that doesn't aid in keeping up to date with all the different characters and their dealings. Still, when the picture is at its best, it effortlessly draws you in, even if the denouement is such a dramatic cliché that it takes away a bit of the shine of a competently made film.

release: 2021

director: Philip Barantini

starring: Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Ray Panthaki, Hannah Walters