The Levelling review: Hope Dickson Leach makes her feature directorial debut with this slow-burning, finely-crafted, brooding drama with Ellie Kendrick and David Troughton.
The Levelling review by Paul Heath, October 2016.
The Levelling signals Hope Dickson Leach‘s first foray into feature filmmaking with a hugely original piece which she both scripts and directs.
This impressive film is set in a farm shortly after a devastating event has taken place. That event is the sudden passing of a young farmer and Clover (Ellie Kendrick) has arrived home to the family business shortly afterwards to help sort his affairs. Aubrey (David Troughton) is there in body though possibly not mind, seemingly incapable of any such arrangements; for the funeral, for the welfare of his animals, the general upkeep of the farm or indeed his own well-being. There is an obvious, long-standing conflict between the two family members and over the course of the film we are presented with an intimate portrayal of both characters as they come to terms with the death of their loved one, and at the same time, the demise of the family business.
Dickson Leach’s film debut is a solid one – a simple story which relies on its two central performances from Kendrick and Troughton, both of who deliver in spades (excuse the terrible pun). Both savour the magnificent, intricate and extremely powerful screenplay and deliver with gusto as the plot slowly unwinds towards a truly exceptional and inevitable, devastating climax. Kendrick (above) particularly delights as the strong but emotionally drained Clover, an under-stated performance as opposed to that of Troughton, expertly portraying Aubrey as the seemingly strong but truly weak-willed patriarch (below).
Everything in Dickson Leach’s impressive first feature is there to feast upon – from the rain-sodden vistas on the Somerset countryside, to the magnificent sound design complimenting it.
Bleak and brooding, The Levelling is a finely-crafted masterclass in low-key but extremely affecting, quality, character-driven drama, much worthy of your attention.
The Levelling review by Paul Heath, October 2016.
The Levelling is currently playing at the Sydney Film Festival.
