Third Star

Directorial debuts are more often than not a mixed blessing, and it is no different here.

Sporting an impressive cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), as well as Tom Burke (Telstar), JJ Field (Captain America), Adam Robertson (Wire In The Blood) and Hugh Bonneville (Downtown Abbey, and most other things on TV) – the story of Third Star centers around James (B. Cumberbatch) coming to terms with a terminal illness. He invites three of his closest pals, Davy (T. Burke), Bill (A. Robertson) and Miles (JJ. Field) to join him on a camping trip to the picturesque Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, his favourite spot.

What ensues is an emotional rollercoaster ride of a road movie that’s spiked with practical difficulties (camping nightmares, equipment disasters etc.) as well as surreal encounters that involve a group of rowdy pub locals, a make-up sporting ferryman and an oddball beachcomber obsessed with unearthing a shipwrecked consignment of rare Star Wars action figures (H. Bonneville in a truly wasted part).

Vaughan Sivell’s script is described as “crackling with witty, natural-sounding lines and familiar-sounding conversations”. Actually, what we’re really getting are lines peppered with the (natural sounding?) F-word and familiar, almost juvenile bickering about… life, love and unfulfilled ambitions. You’d swear that a group of friends accompanying a dying comrade on his last trip have better things to do than dig up deeply personal revelations, accusations and dirt, but apparently not. Maybe it’s a script thing, or maybe it’s a lads’ thing… who knows.
Yes, it’s all well acted – though this seems down to the skills of the thespians rather than the director. Yet, three quarters into the film one begins to feel so irritated by the constantly quarrelling characters that one couldn’t care less as to who dies and when and why. If there is one truly uplifting feature about this movie, then it’s the excellent landscape photography.
Third Star saw it’s world premiere at the 2010 Edinburgh International Film Festival, followed by screenings at selected festivals across Europe and America, followed by a UK cinema release earlier this year. Third star indeed.