Juliet, Naked
Cert 15, 98 minutes, in cinemas 2 November
THE PLOT Adapted from Nick Hornby’s best-selling novel, this romantic comedy drama pits obsessive, self-absorbed film lecturer Duncan (O’dowd) against his frustrated long-time partner Annie (Byrne) when she gets to know an elusive old rock star (Hawke), who happens to be Duncan’s all-time hero.
WHAT’S RIGHT WITH IT? With its laid-back, almost ramshackle Indie sensibility and strong naturalistic performances, it smartly captures the unique Hornby tone. WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT? The first half of the film is relaxed to a fault, taking an extraordinary amount of time to introduce the characters and set-up before finally kicking into gear halfway through.
VERDICT A perceptive and involving little gem. HHH Boyd Hilton