Cemetery Junction on DVD now

The directorial film debut of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant is the 1973 set Cemetery Junction, which is an average, vaguely dull suburb of Reading. The film is set around three friends, Freddie (pretty and also vaguely dull), Bruce (anger issues and attitude) and Snork (inappropriate language and chubby) as they all try to meet girls and escape from the Junction. 

Freddie takes a job away from the factory where his father and friend works to wear a suit and tie, selling life insurance overseen by his boss Mr Kendrick (Fiennes) and his right hand man Mike (Goode). Whereas Bruce talks of escaping but seems stuck between the factory and the police lock up as he bounces from work to fights. Whereas Snork on the other hand just wants to (unsuccessfully) get laid. Freddies new job sets in motion a series of changes that move the lads lives on, Freddie himself meets his childhood friend, the bosses daughter Julie. Bruce gets to finally sort out his anger and Snork actually meets a girl who’s interested in him.

Its an ok film, the cast overall are great with Fiennes and Watson leading the star names although for me it all was a little too predictable and apart from the weight of Gervais’s name I doubt it would have been made. Pleasant while watching but ultimately forgettable.  

Director: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

Cast

Christian Cooke – Freddie Taylor

Tom Hughes – Bruce Pearson

Felicity Jones – Julie Kendrick

Ralph Fiennes – Mr Kendrick

Matthew Goode – Mike Ramsay

Emily Watson – Mrs Kendrick 

The Social Network on DVD now

Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich The Social Network documents the development and rise of Facebook. The film centers on Mark Zuckerberg an extremely talented Harvard student who by a series of events decides to launch Facebook at college. Facebook spreads like wildfire and soon expands over the world to become the phenomenon that it is today, making Zuckerberg the world’s youngest millionaire as well as bringing out his enemies.

A potentially unusual choice of subject matter for a film, an awkward socially isolated geeky genius creating a computer database admittedly one that changes the way the world now communicates but The Social Network is an interesting, informative film which deals with genius, jealousy and power in a very modern context. Eisenberg is great as the rather unlike able driven Zuckerberg who is a socially distant student and therefore more easily able to detach himself from his only friend Eduardo played by the next Spiderman Andrew Garfield. Even Timberlake is good as the napster inventor Parker – I was pleasantly surprised by his acting.

This film succeeds largely because of the amazing script which would manage to hold your interest even if you dont partake in social networking. It’s a modern tale of power and betrayal admittedly with its central character a billionaire who doesn’t even seem to change his clothes!

Well work a watch.

Director: David Fincher
Cast:

Jessie Eisenberg – Mark Zuckerberg
Andrew Garfield – Eduardo Saverin
Justin Timberlake – Sean Parker