Ames and his three closest lifelong friends go on an ill-advised trip to the stunning coastal area of Barafundle Bay in West Wales. What follows is a touching and comical adventure dealing with friendship, heroism and love.
Even a talented cast struggle to convince in this tough sell of a film.
Hattie Dalton’s direction is sensitive but ponderous, making our own third star more than slightly grudging.
Hattie Dalton’s first feature doesn’t quite reach the philosophical depths she appears to be aiming for, but Cumberbatch keeps sentimentality at bay, and the ending is almost unbearably poignant.
Effective work in the directing and cinematography camps also smooths over a lot of the holes left by lack of money and experience.
The judgment of tone is off, and the illusion that these four are best friends never remotely convinces.
With the running time padded out with inconsequential conversations and a plain daft encounter with a beachcomber searching the rocks for Star Wars figurines, it's an hour-and-a-half of nothing.
Dalton, a Bafta-winning short filmmaker, ensures everything looks pleasant and polished enough, but there's very little here that stands out.
All of this feels a little too pat and obvious until we edge towards a lump-in-the-throat finale.
It is all rather familiar and predictable, though not dislikable.
Nice performances from a young best of British cast and well assembled by Dalton, here making her feature debut, but the depressing subject matter means it won’t be many people’s idea of a good night’s entertainment.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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