Heartless

A spoiler light review of Heartless should begin with tone, because Philip Ridley understands exactly how this horror film ought to feel. Heartless gains early credibility from Jim Sturgess, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Luke Treadaway. The foundation of Heartless can be stated simply: Jamie Morgan, a young man with a large heart shaped birthmark on his face, discovers that there are demons on the streets of East London. Within its 1h 54m running time, Heartless reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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What keeps Heartless emotionally readable is Jim Sturgess, whose choices establish a consistent point of view. In scenes with Luke Treadaway, Heartless gains tension from two performers refusing to produce the same kind of energy. Clémence Poésy contributes a separate rhythm to Heartless and helps the supporting material feel less purely functional. The direction by Philip Ridley gives the cast of Heartless room to connect the quieter beats with the larger ones.

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The plot of Heartless is built around the uneasy relationship between Jamie Morgan and East London. For Jim Sturgess, that relationship gives Heartless an emotional objective stronger than simple forward motion. The screenplay associated with Philip Ridley lets the central character reshape the direction of Heartless in stages. Although the treatment of an important relationship could be sharper, Heartless never entirely loses the thread established at the beginning.

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The craft of Heartless is defined by uneasy framing, supported by uneasy framing rather than overwhelmed by decoration. May 13 Films gives Heartless a production framework in which patiently built dread can remain connected to story. Made from a United Kingdom production context, Heartless uses setting and design to clarify mood before dialogue has to explain it. The technical finish of Heartless works because image, sound and editing appear to be serving the same immediate purpose.

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Philip Ridley gives Heartless a directorial line that is capable of strong moments without finding a complete rhythm from its opening promise to its final movement. The staging of Heartless is strongest when Philip Ridley allows motivation to determine pace instead of reversing that priority. Viewed as a complete piece, Heartless confirms that the appealing elements never quite settle into a seamless whole across most of the running time. A tighter version of Heartless would address how emotional turns sometimes arrive before the relationships are ready, yet the surrounding work remains persuasive.

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Heartless finds additional purpose in its examination of fear, isolation and the moment familiar spaces stop feeling safe. Through the performance of Jim Sturgess, Heartless makes that examination feel personal before it becomes broadly symbolic. The idea of Jamie Morgan repeatedly returns Heartless to the cost behind its more visible developments. Philip Ridley is most persuasive when Heartless allows the theme to emerge from an uncomfortable choice rather than polished dialogue.

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The lasting judgement on Heartless is a mixed experience best approached with measured expectations for horror viewers who prefer atmosphere to constant shocks. Heartless earns that response through the focus of Jim Sturgess, the contribution of uneasy framing and the direction of Philip Ridley. It remains true that emotional turns sometimes arrive before the relationships are ready during Heartless, which keeps enthusiasm measured. Still, Heartless understands the experience it wants to create and communicates that intention with recognisable personality.