Review of Boiling Point (2021) by Rebecca31 — 21 Feb 2022

Boiling Point is 1 hour and 30 minutes of pure, relentless stress. Head chef Andy Jones (Stephen Graham) arrives to his swanky London restaurant just before it’s due to open. He is desperately trying to keep a handle on both his personal life and work related stresses during one of the busiest nights of the year. Between the surprise visit from a health inspector, tensions between front of house and kitchen staff and some unruly customers (everyone hates influencers for a reason) Andy is reaching his limit.

Boiling Point is certainly a film true to its title. The look of a film shot entirely in one take adds to the feeling of mounting pressure and a sense of characters reaching their own limits and boiling over in the hot and fiery kitchen. The fluid camera motion as it drifts between different groups of people in the bustling restaurant definitely added to the sense of impending disaster. It looked very impressive and I can only imagine all the planning that went into this to ensure the entire film could be shot in one take. Not an easy way to make a film but the results speak for themselves. I know the single shot style of filming making annoys some people but in certain films it works very well and Boiling Point is a perfect example.

As someone who has never worked in a restaurant I can’t imagine surviving one night as I could barely manage the stress of the film. Stephen Graham was the perfect choice for this role surrounded by a great supporting cast. You feel the frantic chaos from everyone as if you’re sitting right there in the middle of it. A truly immersive experience, highly recommended.