Today’s quick review: London. Six months after the fact, Syd (Chris Evans) is still reeling from his breakup with London (Jessica Biel), his gorgeous girlfriend for two years. When Syd gets word that London is leaving town for good, he grabs his drug dealer Bateman (Jason Statham) for support and crashes her going-away party. But before he can work up the courage to confront London, he’ll first have to work through some issues from his past.
London is a romantic drama about the aftermath of a failed relationship. Over the course of one messy night, Syd revisits the highs and lows of his relationship with London and steels himself to make one last pleas to win her back. London takes a comprehensive look at the joys of love and the bitter pain when it falls apart. The combination of a strong cast and a decent script make it an interesting watch, but its setup may have only niche appeal.
London is framed like a stage play. The bulk of the movie takes place in the spacious bathroom of Becca’s (Isla Fisher), where Syd and Bateman hide out to drink beer, snort cocaine, and contemplate joining the party proper. They’re visited by a series of Syd’s friends, each one with her own problems and her own perspective on Syd’s breakup. The result is a series of long, passionate, drug-fueled conversations on everything from sex to religion.
London gets mixed results from this setup. On the one hand, it does well as a character study, managing to convey the aggression, bad choices, and deep love for London that have brought Syd to this point. Syd’s conversations with his friends deal with some heavy questions, and while there’s not too much insight to be gained, the discussions are at least thought-provoking. The acting is also solid, with credible performances from Evans, Biel, and Statham.
On the other hand, not very much happens in London. The bathroom conversations are a deliberate choice by Syd to avoid the main conflict at the party, while the flashbacks to his relationship with London capture aspects of their characters more than they tell a specific story. As such, the movie is highly introspective. The story eventually gets to where it needs to go, but the journey it takes is almost entirely through Syd’s mind.
London will appeal to a specific kind of viewer, one who likes frank discussions of realistic topics. The restricted format of the story is a blessing and a curse, putting the narrative weight squarely on Syd’s character and his complex relationship with London. Those who are interested in mature, dialogue-heavy stories should give it a try. Those who prefer more event-driven stories or are sensitive to explicit content should skip it.
For a much darker look at drug abuse, try Requiem for a Dream. For a more comedic dissection of a failed relationship, try Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or 500 Days of Summer. For a tale of youthful malaise that has similar sensibilities, try Igby Goes Down. For an even more minimalistic drama about a relationship falling apart, try Locke.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for solid interpersonal drama coupled with a somewhat static plot.