The experience of Uptown Cathedral is one of a baffling nature. It is only reasonable that the writer of such a screenplay must have been riddled with fever during the creation of such a work. It was advertised as a supposed delve into the lives of criminals in 17th century Basildon, a story full of drama, heartbreak and tragedy. Yet what was experienced was a three hour trip through a plotline that seemed to change with the weather. Take for instance during the first act, usually this would be time to introduce the characters and the setting, allowing the audience to settle into the movie. What Driver chose to do was sit every character in complete silence for forty minutes. One of the characters is even killed off during this part and we never even learnt his name.
Other scenes seemed like they were in a completely different setting. One young boy, an orphan raised on the streets of Basildon, burst into song. It did not even make sense within the context of the scene. He was caught stealing a dog in the second act (a plot line which never returned after this incident) and as he was running down the street he began singing. After this, there is no music for the rest of the movie, a choice which only led to a deeply unsettling atmosphere in the audience as to compensate sound effects were more readily used.
Perhaps this is a lesson from Mr. Driver, However. That the lives of everyday people, the lives of innocent men, are much more complex than what we see on the surface. Perhaps by revealing this deeper side of the story of criminal life in 17th century Basildon, Driver has also revealed a part of himself.
Stars Blasto from The Shift Review
⅗ stars