FOLLOWING (ENGLISH) (1998)

While the greatest of journeys begin with the first short step, it is the hallmark of legends in the making that their brilliance shines through distinctly from the crowd even in those nascent steps. Such is the case of Following, the feature directorial debut of Christopher Nolan who is reckoned among best filmmakers of our, nay, all times. Before Nolan emerged as the master of the big budget brainy / psychological thrillers, he began his career with a spartan debut film which, despite its minimal settings, served as the harbinger of the great things to follow.

Following tells us the story of Bill (Jeremy Theobald), a young wannabe writer in London, who obsessively follows random people, supposedly to research / find a spark to kindle his writing. He makes stringent rules for himself on this activity which borders on a voyeuristic pursuit as to who to follow, for how long, etc. It is in the course of one such random pursuit he follows the charismatic Cobb (Alex Haw - (does the name of the character ring a dreamy bell deep in your mind ??)), a burglar and gets drawn to him when he discovers they share a similar passion for following strangers. 

Cobb persuades Bill to accompany him as an understudy during his serial burgling expeditions. Despite being a burglar, Cobb shows minimal interest in his victim's belongings and rather, appears to revel in the shock and awe of his victims when they return to find their residence burgled. Enamored by Cobb's attitude and style, Bill's lifestyle  undergoes a sea change as he dives deep into what he finds as an adventurous new world. When an enigmatic blonde, a violent gangster, a murder and some blackmailing are added to the proceedings, we have a potent recipe for a thrill-ride. 

Being a debut feature, Nolan did not have the luxury of any big studio funding which enabled his mega projects like the The Dark Knight series, Inception or Interstellar. Yet, operating in a shoe-string budget of roughly $6000, Nolan donned multiple hats as the writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and producer of this movie which he completed over the course almost a year as mainly weekends project with the home of his parents as the principal location. His actors, who had other weekday assignments, were put through a drill of rehearsals spanning six months before the filming could commence which is evident from their convincing performances. Nolan shows early symptoms of what is now his signature style elements of intrigue, non-linear narratives, dives into the depths of darkness inherent in human nature, crisscrossing chronologies which peel away at the mystery layer by, carefully constructed, layer even as he teases the viewer to guess and second guess with an engaging screenplay. Nolan's masterclass is evident all through as he constructs a captivating noir in elegant monochrome frames with some nifty hand-held shots. 

Clocking a crisp length of seventy minutes, this engrossing thriller is the earliest gem from a master when he chose to step out of the shadows. 

AN EXCELLENT WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

P.S. - As a bonus, check out Doodlebug, a 3-minute short from Nolan, made in 1997. This telling short, again in his signature style, showcases the seeds of much more magnificence and magic that was to follow.