Written and directed by Aimee Graham, when an astrophysics student working towards his PhD loses priceless research to an auto theft, he makes a bargain with a woman at a local pawn shop in order to get it back. Starring: Owen Beckman, Gretchen Lodge, Sylva Kelegian, David Koechner, Tom Lister Jr., James Russo, Alexandra Kenworthy, Jilon VanOver, Ski Carr, Michole Briana White and Justine Bateman.
One of the initially striking things about The Allnighter is how quick of a pace it keeps, it’s such a tricky thing to get right for a first feature but Aimee Graham sets a brisk pace throughout. So many dramas fall into a sluggish progression when being so strongly focused on their characters yet Graham captures a great balance of quieter, meaningful moments and a constantly moving plot.
It has flashes of tension, suspense and romance, creating a satisfying blend of atmospheres. Behind that it also has a slightly chaotic presence, there’s an unusual intensity lingering in the background. Part of that comes from its characters, no-one is simple or perfectly calm, there’s always something to set them on edge but at the same time it never becomes brash or overt.
Another aspect of that vibrating energy is the movement to the direction, it has still moments but never remains too long, keeping a good momentum. Its energy captures that in between age, when youth is slowly escaping but you’ve yet to figure out your place in the world. Graham’s style has a solid personality, it’s familiar yet there’s plenty of touches to give it individuality. It also has a sincere relatability, creating a very everyday existence for its characters, to encompass life’s messes and conflicts.
Though there’s no doubting that a great deal of The Allnighter’s personality is embodied by the performances from its talented ensemble. Owen Beckman kicks things off with a big dose of sympathy, creating kind, generous and resilient qualities for Terence. That accessibility is then matched by the somewhat manic and unpredictable essence to Gretchen Lodge’s Belle. It’s the classic pairing to bring out the best in one another. There’s then a delightful supporting cast behind them, each bringing big personalities to the table, giving the film a fantastic variety, and a lot of familiar faces.
The Allnighter is a charming low-key adventure, setting its characters off down a messy path and following them as they pick up the pieces. The leading duo of Owen Beckman and Gretchen Lodge have a great chemistry, nothing is too smooth or too easy, they naturally and endearingly warm up to each other. There’s a superb supporting cast at play, the direction has a strong energy and it keeps an impressive momentum all the way through, it’s a very well put together debut feature from Aimee Graham.
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