In their latest collaboration, *Departures*, filmmaking duo Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely attempt to map the jagged terrain of trauma through a non-linear lens. The film begins at its conclusion, operating on the premise that moving forward requires a recursive look at the past. This structural choice sets an experimental tone for what is ostensibly a hypersexual drama centered on Benji (played by Eyre-Morgan) and Jake (David Tag), two men whose trysts in Amsterdam serve as a laboratory for shifting power dynamics and BDSM exploration.
The aesthetic of the film leans heavily into a specific brand of British grit, drawing inevitable comparisons to Danny Boyle’s *Trainspotting*. However, where Boyle’s work felt grounded in a specific cultural urgency, *Departures* occasionally lapses into a performative mode that borders on parody. The directors utilize multimedia flourishes—specifically illustrations layered over key frames—to inject a sense of indie-inflected playfulness. This "do-as-we-please" energy gives the film its most distinct identity, even as it echoes the editing styles seen in contemporary queer media.
Ultimately, the film’s ambitions for emotional depth are hampered by its execution. While the cycle of dominance and submission between Benji and Jake is presented with unapologetic frankness, the narrative struggle mirrors the metaphor of a flight forced into an emergency landing. It reaches for a profound arrival at the intersection of sex and psychological scarring but finds itself circling the runway, hindered by a tone that prioritizes stylistic bravado over sustained emotional resonance.
With reporting from Little White Lies.
Source · Little White Lies
