Film Review: Boiling Point

Just a couple weeks ago, we had a film that was designed to look like one continuous shot with One Shot, and with Boiling Point, the filmmakers actually filmed the whole thing in one take, which is quite the feat. The story of it follows one night with Andy Jones (Stephen Graham), who is the head chef of a fine dining establishment. The shift already starts with a sour note after a surprise visit from a health inspector, who had to dock a few points from their grade, but as the night goes on, it seems like everything that could go wrong does, with everything from personal situations to issues at the restaurant throwing everything into chaos.

In my review for One Shot, I mentioned how the film avoids a lot of the general issues that often comes with films that try to go for filming in one take, or the illusion of it. Mostly in how they create a variety of shots, keeping strong staging and blocking in mind, and having the overall rhythm and movement of the camera be motivated by the situation as opposed to artlessly following characters around in basic medium shots. For the most part, Boiling Point follows these tactics in their filmmaking.

While the film can sometimes resort to having the camera just following characters around, it actually works really well in the context of the film. It captures the chaos of a busy night at a restaurant really effectively, and it does a terrific job at piling on one stressful event on top of another in a way that feels natural. After a while, it almost doesn’t even feel like you’re watching a film, it’s like you’re just there observing a group of people as they try to push through a really, really hectic evening.

The film is thoroughly engaging, and a big reason for that is that the performers are all great from folks like Vinette Robinson to Jason Flemyng and Ray Panthaki, and countless others. What makes them so good is how they effortlessly create this feeling that they’ve all been working with each other for a really long time, the dynamic and the banter, both spoken and unspoken, all works brilliantly in immersing you with the characters and the environment. Of course, having someone like Stephen Graham as the lead is a cool touch, as he has made him name being one of the best character actors out there. He’s fantastic here, and brings a lot of weight and heft to a role in a way that only he could bring.

Boiling Point is a very simple and straightforward film, but it’s ultimately a really great exercise in tension building and suspense. I would say this is just as effective, if not more so, than something like Uncut Gems, or really any of the recent projects by the Safdie Brothers. As economical as its setup is, I was surprised by how much I was able to connect with the characters, beyond our lead, with only a few minor interactions or bits of dialogue. If there are any drawbacks, one could argue the ending is not the best. It feels like like a natural conclusion to things, and more just some excuse for the film to just come to a stop. In a way, it feels in line with the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the night as it unfolds, but from an audience perspective, I can see how it might seem frustrating and abrupt. However, the rest of the film is so good, I ultimately didn’t mind it.

Boiling Point is out in select theaters and will hit VOD platforms on November 23rd.