A Very Sunny Morning
I’m sure I’ve said it before, but one of the most gratifying aspects of running a website such as this is that I am able to see some real gems that I would otherwise be unaware of. One of the hardest parts of running a site like this, however, is that I sometimes find myself sitting down to write a review with absolutely no idea where to start.
Eric Carter’s A Very Sunny Morning falls into both categories.
The opening sequence shows us some unseen person cooking breakfast for two in a kitchen which – from what little is shown in the various close-up shots – looks like it could have been lifted straight from the 1970s. And the 70s feel doesn’t stop there. We have split screens, wipes, and a soundtrack – right down to the image quality – that all come together perfectly to date this film.
This sensibility is maintained as we’re introduced to the main characters – a young couple (played by Andrue Anderson and Natalie Vann) who are enjoying breakfast together.
And then Dong (Neeko Keneklis) makes an appearance and things become very strange indeed.
From here on in the film becomes increasingly dreamlike as Carter confidently leaps from genre to genre, throwing timelines and assumptions out of the window to create a wholly unique, but completely consistent, reality.
Both Andrue Anderson and Natalie Vann put in excellent performances – especially in the early scenes of the film in which they really do manage to portray the depth of the relationship between their characters in a very short space of time. The score also deserves a mention for superbly capturing – and carrying - the mood of the film throughout.
However, the greatest strength of A Very Sunny Morning is the comical strangeness of Eric Carter’s vision.
This is a truly unique film and one that is both genuinely surreal and funny. If you have any appreciation at all for absurdist humour, surrealism, or both, then you’ll find that this film really is right up your street.
Monday 07 May 2007 | Paul Pritchard | Comedy
