BOILING POINT
★★★
OUT 7 JANUARY / CERT 15 / 95 MINS
DIRECTOR Philip Barantini
CAST Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Jason Flemyng, Hannah Walters
Imagine the famous Copacabana Steadicam shot from GoodFellas if, instead of heading to a swanky table, Henry Hill had taken a left into the kitchen and started chopping shallots. That’s the gist of this culinary experiment, starring Stephen Graham as a highly stressed-out chef on a particularly taxing night at his restaurant. At a brisk simmer from the start, Graham’s Andy is quickly bubbling over, psychologically speaking — this is essentially Uncut Gems with gem lettuces. The decision to shoot the whole thing in a single shot, while technically bravura, is counter-productive at points; flitting between numerous subplots (including a man taking out the bins) sometimes diffuses the tension. But it’s still an entertaining 96 minutes, and Jason Flemyng is a hoot as a pompous rival chef.