Life-affirming and utterly moving, this account of Scottish music icon Edwyn Collins is a truly remarkable achievement in filmmaking.
The Possibilities Are Endless
[rating=5]
Yes, Grace Maxwell by Dave O’Flanagan
Directors Edward Lovelace and James Hall’s wonderful documentary about musician Edwyn Collins is a remarkable feat in documentary filmmaking. Shot over the course of five years, the film opens with Collins’ staccato-like narration accompanied with imagery that signifies the struggle with his decimated memories. Wandering into his past while simultaneously highlighting his slow road to recovery, it’s a haunting yet life-affirming journey through the mind of the musician. Learning to cope with the loss of the Edwyn Collins they both knew, Edwyn and wife Grace’s wonderful rapport is as charming as it is moving. The natural progression of Edwyn’s speech is patiently built up to over the course of the film, and with it, his infectious and indomitable humour. From the striking soundscape to the dreamlike visuals, the film is a beautiful marriage of arthouse film and traditional talking-head documentary. It’s a towering monument of how patience, determination and ultimately companionship triumphs against insurmountable odds. Grace Maxwell tells us early on that “every place is full of stories for us.” Great, I demand a sequel.
The Possibilities Are Endless is showing on Oct 11th & 13th at the 58th BFI London Film Festival
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