Love's echoes: a fractured portrait of desire and disappointment

A thirtysomething adrift in a sea of bad relationships – that’s Benji, the central figure in Departures, a darkly funny drama dissecting the wreckage of connection.

A descent into synthetic delights

Neil Ely and Lloyd Eyre-Morgan’s film isn’t a sentimental exploration of ‘after love’; it’s a brutally honest, often uncomfortable, plunge into the self-destructive patterns of a man haunted by a past, particularly a failed relationship with a personal trainer named Jake. The narrative, expertly rendered through elliptical editing and a nonlinear structure, mirrors the disorienting experience of heartbreak – a chaotic scramble of memories and regrets.

David Tag delivers a compelling performance as Jake, a man concealing a significant secret, adding layers of complexity to Benji’s already fragile state. The film smartly avoids saccharine sentimentality, opting instead for a sharp, poppy visual style and a sardonic internal monologue, largely carried by Eyre-Morgan himself. Benji's voiceover, sprinkled with self-deprecating humor, feels remarkably raw, a willingness to confront the ugliness of his choices.

However, the reliance on voiceover occasionally feels intrusive, a tendency to over-explain the emotional landscape rather than letting the visuals and performances speak for themselves. The flashbacks, while providing crucial context, sometimes veer into exposition, interrupting the film's momentum. It’s a minor flaw, overshadowed by the film’s considerable strengths.

Departures is more than just a character study; it’s a nuanced examination of identity, body image issues, and the suffocating weight of toxic masculinity. The chemistry between Eyre-Morgan and Tag is undeniable, anchoring the film and lending credence to the complex dynamics at play. This is a northern talent showcase that deserves attention. The film opens in UK and Irish cinemas on April 17th – a bleak, beautiful reminder that even in the ruins of love, there’s a strange, unsettling beauty to be found.