Written and directed by Max Morgan, set between the sandstone colleges of Oxford and the salt-encrusted Suffolk coast, following the tentative romance between university student, Otto, and retired angler, John. However, their relationship darkens when the past exhumes itself in the form of guilt, grief, and ghosts. Starring: Daniel McNamee, Shaun Paul McGrath, William Gao, Agnes Halladay and Noah Radcliffe-Adams.
Starting with one the strongest elements of Breakwater, the performances because this is a great, intimate group of actors. Daniel McNamee gives a youthful, thoughtful, kind and relatable performance as Otto. He’s going through a lot of common experiences for his age but ones that are all tinged by the pain of his past. McNamee does a fantastic job of communicating that conflict, without needing to laden every scene with that suffering. He also still has a good dose of naivety to him. Shaun Paul McGrath’s portrayal as John is captivating, he’s a genuine unknown quantity while also creating that classic rough-edged character, brought out of his shell by a sweet young man. They create an interesting dynamic, but it feels like calling it a romance is a misdirection.
It’s the same way that films years ago might have attempted to portray gay romance while too afraid to actually explore it, but here it’s less intentionally shy and more of an unusual connection. It’s based on an intimacy born from generosity and kindness rather than attraction. However, that is part of the struggles of Breakwater, that it spends so much time building this relationship which never really comes to fruition in a traditional sense. It’s very gradual, then when it finally does arrive in its crescendo, it falls quite flat. That’s because the end result goes for something with genuine darkness, but it can’t manage that as it hasn’t built the foundation for it. It’s a shame as it opens up so many interesting possibilities that the story could have explored earlier on but it took a more leisurely route.
For the most part, it goes for a simple drama atmosphere, and at times it can feel overly orchestrated and a little stuffy, but it does work. It can also hit a fair few clichés along the way, but it holds an interesting curiosity. Although, there was potential to turn this into a full on thriller which would have been undoubtedly riskier but also possibly much more satisfying and it could have avoided that drastic shift to the tone. It’s dealing with a lot of things at a surface level, had it truly delved into the different themes of trauma and oppressed sexuality, there was a lot of fertile ground to add layers and tones to Breakwater.
Although, the directorial style from Max Morgan is nicely consistent throughout, and it’s undeniable that the filmmakers chose great locations. That coastal setting is perfect for exploring some deep rooted issues that need to see the light of day. It also provides a picturesque, textured backdrop which elevates the aesthetic. Although it can often feel like the cinematography is darkening the scenes too much and occasionally weakening the visual. Similarly with the score, it can hit much too sentimental notes in scenes that don’t call for it, undermining the tone.
Breakwater has some interesting ideas but plays things a little too old-fashioned. Daniel McNamee and Shaun Paul McGrath both give excellent performances but as we reach the end of the film, it’s even plainer to see that they had even more potential to really create something sharp. That’s the key issue holding this film back, it feels like it’s playing it safe and shying away from the darkness and complexity that hides beneath the surface. There are nods to so many interesting and complicated issues, but they go mostly unexplored.
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