Review of Following (1999) by James-Ethan L — 20 Feb 2011

I originally saw this twelve years ago in a rundown independent theater hidden on the backstreets of Washington D.C. They offered it alongside Memento as an added feature at half price. After forty minutes the film jammed, the projectionist swore audibly, and I never saw the ending. Twelve years later I finally watched Nolan's first film in entirety. That's a lot of back-story for a review, but I find it curious that twelve years have passed.

This is the work of a clever director, employing his now signature techniques with limited resources. It's a low budget, slightly rough around the edges, nod to classic noir. Nolan's a master at complexity and non-linear plots. In Following the fractured narrative feels unnecessary-it doesn't complement the story like in Memento-and seems like an exercise in style and personal development. But despite its shortcomings it's an unbelievable first film.