‘Only You’ Review
Stars: Laia Costa, Josh O’Connor, Natalie Arle-Toyne, Isabelle Barth, Tam Dean Burn, Daniel Campbell, Gregor Firth, Robbie Hutton, Robin Laing, Orion Lee, Stuart Martin, James McElvar, Lisa McGrillis | Written and Directed by Harry Wootliff
Only You, directed by Harry Wootliff, stars Laia Costa as Elena and Josh O’Connor as Jake. A pair that meet in unexpected circumstances on New Year’s Eve in the back of a taxi. A chance meeting that forms a romantic relationship that skyrockets with high intensity in a ten-year age gap and insecurities of newfound love. Complications arise when the new-formed couple starts to try for a family early on in the romantic infancy and animosity begins to brew.
The intensity and performances in Harry Wootliff’s film are astounding. Laia Costa puts forward a performance nothing short of magical on-screen. A phenomenal accomplishment in an equally remarkable feature that dives deep into the testaments of love. The emotional void Costa visits on each occasion during her characters spikes of emotional vulnerability evokes a stunning level of intensity and warmth in fresh emotive responses every time in terrific succession. A mesmerising and immersive skill to utterly engulf the audiences attention and emotional response to the film and resulting unfolding plot. A skill that is evoked with what would seem like simple ease with how nonchalant and pragmatic the range and skill of Costa entails.
Only You is wonderfully written by writer-director Harry Wootliff and co-writer Matthieu de Braconier who showcase the intensity and sacrifice of love in its most raw and organic form. A tantalising and realistic portrayal of romance in its highest highs and tragic lows. ‘Only You’ is a genuinely touching and astounding visceral embodiment of a relationship I have had the pleasure to have seen on screen. A wholly sinking feature that touches on a significant amount of captivating poignancy that will rock the boat of its audience morals and have the viewer on the end of their seat in anticipation of what develops next.
Harry Wootliff’s film is a delightful picture that’s superbly captured with gorgeous cinematography from Shabier Kirchner. Wrapping its metaphorical arms wounded tightly round this couple and never really gives the audience space or distance to recover. The viewer becomes enraptured with this purposeful intensity due to the film’s utilisation of the handheld camera, long takes and close-ups that crafts a rousing and inescapable drama.
Only You is showing at Curzon Cinemas and is available to stream on Curzon Home Cinema now.
