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FOLLOWING - REVIEW

Following ( English , 1998)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Unknown faces.

If there is one movie , among all those that I have seen , which makes you go completely numb after watching it , it has to be this one. Christopher Nolan's debut movie , shot on a paltry sum of 7000 $ , " Following" took me back to the noir days.

I will just give you a very brief description of the story as I don't want to spoil things for you. The protagonist of the movie , Bill , is a wannabe writer , who stalks people , for reasons he himself is unsure of. We are left to assume that he "follows" people , as it might aid him in creating characters for his literary pursuits. He sets himself certain interesting rules , for following people. What happens when he starts breaking the rules , is what the entire movie is all about.

We are then introduced to another character called Cobb , a burglar who happens to take Bill under his wings . I will stop with the story here. I implore you watch the movie to find out what's the big deal about a rather simple story .

The movie is an absolutely satisfying example of Nolan's genius. There are certain similarities to "Memento" in the style. The movie smoothly jumps from the past to the present and back again,many a time, in a complexly woven storyline, which you will not "follow", unless close attention is paid to the finer aspects of the story.

This film never has a dull moment , thanks to its length ( just over an hour). There are enough twists and turns in the movie , which keeps you hooked till the end. What I liked about this movie is that for a debut movie , this is truly amazing. Many directors start off from scratch and make some half-baked movies , before striking it big. But Nolan has set himself a benchmark , right in his debut flick.

There is another important character , a blonde. I will not reveal anymore. The movie is set in London , although not much importance is paid to the set, the camera work , and other technical aspects of film-making. It is rather the storytelling abilities of Nolan , which makes you go completely gaga about it. There are however a few scenes which make you scratch your head , as this is a very difficult movie to "follow".

The characterization is simply brilliant. Although the character of Bill is extremely odd , believe me , he is the character whom its easiest to "follow". Cobb and the blonde are the two most unbelievable characters whom I have come across so far.

There are many scenes which simply sweep you off your feet . The acting is exceptional , and none of the cast members are professional actors , to the best of my knowledge. This movie was made when he was unknown in film-making circles. The movie will come as a surprise to all those people who swear by the fact that it takes millions of dollars to make a decent movie. Christopher Nolan has proved them all wrong in this little gem of his.

Christopher Nolan's movies are always something to look forward to . The guy who gave us "Memento" , "The Prestige" , "Batman Begins" and the recent "The Dark Knight" , proves his worth as a force to reckon with. He is truly out of the world . Mr.Nolan am your "follow"er.

Now onto the verdict. This is a masterpiece from one of the greatest contemporary directors in Hollywood, Christopher Nolan. May his tribe increase !! I will go with 4 out of 5 for this gem.

Verdict: Masterpiece . 4/5