Director: Anthony Wilcox.
Starring: Charlie Cox, Jodie Whittaker, Christian Cooke, Paul Schneider.
Running Time: 81 minutes.
Certificate: TBC.
Synopsis: Down-on-his-luck Carter (Charlie Cox) has recently become homeless, single and unemployed. Desperate to win back his ex-girlfriend, he goes off on an adventure through London to find her, picking up some odd helpers along the way.
Anthony Wilcox lengthens his own short of the same title for HELLO CARTER, a look at lost love and redemption which has heart and warmth by the bucketload.
Central character Carter is the beating vascular organ of the film which begins with him losing his temporary home and commencing a search to reacquaint with his old flame. Along the way we meet his brother Eliott (Christian Cooke) and his ex’s brother, played by the ever-watchable Paul Schneider. Carter’s search results in much high-jinx and a modicum of pratfalling which are in truth the main weaknesses of the film. Wilcox has written a simple but pleasant script that doesn’t require the bombastic attempts at humour he forces Schneider and Cooke’s characters to partake in when the charm is in the performances and their subtlety.
Away from the overt attempts to make his audience laugh there is much to enjoy about Wilcox’s first feature, with non-invasive direction, some excellent musical choices and editing all helping to place you amongst Carter’s plundering existence through quick takes. With unoriginal but likeable characters and enough wit to keep you smiling, HELLO CARTER won’t change your world, but it will definitely make you happy.
HELLO CARTER is showing as part of the LAUGHS section on Saturday 12th (6:30pm) and Friday 18th October (6:30pm). Check out the rest of our LFF coverage here.
