I is for I, Anna

I, ANNA

UK/Germany/France 2012

Running Length: 93 minutes

Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Marsan, Johdi May

Director:  Barnaby Southcombe

Screenplay: Barnaby Southcombe from the novel by Elsa Lewin

Cinematography: Ben Smithard

This stylish debut from director Barnaby Southcombe stars his mother, Charlotte Rampling, as divorced mother Anna Welles.  Since her divorce she’s been living a comfortable, if boring middle-class life in London.  When her daughter encourages her to try singles events as a means of meeting men, she does.

It’s at one of these events she meets flamboyantly wealthy George Stone and goes home with him.

Detective Bernie Reid is called to the scene of a vicious murder. George is dead, and it’s clear Anna had something to do with it, but what?  Having caught sight of Anna leaving the area, Bernie tracks her down at another singles party and their attraction is instant.

As the pair become more intimately involved, and the clues point more and more insistently toward Anna being a suspect in George’s murder, Bernie finds himself compromised.  Anna initially seems to have no memory of the events, but as time goes on, fragments begin appearing and come together.  Bernie, the audience and Anna begin to piece together what happened that night, and to figure out what else Anna might be hiding.

Essentially a modern film noir, this film is drenched in atmosphere and features many recognisable motifs.  London, as shot by Ben Smithard, is coldly beautiful and as much a character in this piece as Rampling and Byrne.  The production design is striking, but never overshadows the storytelling or the performances.

Moody, unsettling and stylish, this is one to sink your teeth into.