Postcards from London

source: Postcards from London

Postcards From London, starring Harris Dickinson, might well be renamed, "Flights Of Fancy: An Introspective On The Beauty Of Harris Dickinson". While the work itself is not without intrinsic value, the meandering quality of the plot and the film's premise do not lend themselves to easy enjoyment. Harris Dickinson stars as Jim, an out-of-towner who dreams of moving to London to live a life of glory. While Jim appears to be a gay man, his sexuality is extremely downplayed in the film, as writer-director Steve McLean chooses instead to focus on Jim's medical condition, known as Stendhal Syndrome. Along the way to Jim's journey of self-discovery, we meet various young people who form the underbelly of London - bartenders, rent boys and homeless artistes. To focus the story on any one subject might have created a cohesive theme about which a compelling and interesting story might be based. Instead, Steve McLean chooses to mosh several different themes together in order to create a cornucopia of a gay man's coming of age story - a story which is mostly written in the safer language of PG-rated, rather then the reality of R-rated. One focus of the film is art, and the film succeeds if viewed strictly from that point of view. Unfortunately, since this is a film about gay men, the point of the movie may be lost on its intended audience. Pretty pictures do not a fantastic story make, and Postcards From London is in the end nothing more than a collage of beautiful images. Kudos to writer-director McLean for daring to be different. But if you're looking for an uplifting story of a gay man coming to terms with his identity and finding his place in society, you may want to look elsewhere. I, for one, couldn't wait for the film to end. Chipper F. Xavier, Esq.

The main character's acting is lifeless and stiff. It's a shame because I enjoyed his performance in Beach Rats. The dialogue is cringe and pretentious. The sets look completely artificial. Painful watch, had to turn it off. I can't believe there are actually positive reviews on here for this film.

Mentioned frequently in this film, Caravaggio, the early 1600s painter, who mastered (?) the use of realistic frozen poses (as if a moment caught with a flash or strobe) combined with extreme use of light & shadow so too does this film follow the same style. A surreal, obscurest, artsy following of some gay "rent boys" as they fashion their craft, and a newbie just arrived in London to discover/pursue his dreams. Not sure where this film goes, or the degree of understanding, but a worthy watch. Note: The writer/director created a slightly similar film 25 years ago called "Postcards from America".

I'm a sucker for Caravaggio, so that was enough to draw me in. But there's a lot more to this film. It's not everyone's cup of tea, and I can understand people thinking it's pretentious, but I don't think it is. It's whimsical, imaginative, original, and beautiful to look at. Don't expect Bergman or Almodovar. Just enjoy an odd, sexy bit of story telling.

I found this film very campy and funny. Maybe thats not what was intended? It was sort of like a 70s gay art film. In a good way. Two of the cast stand out: Harris Dickenson in the lead and Jonah Hauer-King. If there really were rent boys like this I might be tempted.

Caravaggio would be proud of - in fact, I think if he were reincarnated into this lifetime he would BE the protagonist! Who, by the way, is played superbly. Truly he is both within and outside of the art. His character, being adored for his beauty, is authentically tortured because of it. The art history references are both dead-serious and light-hearted at times. And the story moves just like any great work of art: light, dark, contrast, highlight, a touch of color - masterpiece.

After escapping his rural town essex,a young teenager jim find himself now involved in the world of gay escort,The Raconteurs.Now jim need to try discover the real reason why his now bound to the world of art forgery. It seems like the plot was little bit rushed,only to find the story become much more weaken.Well,It's still enjoyable from me The point of "muse" this movie have is how they playing with several colors and a pure neon light,making this movie is one of the most beautiful art visual movie that i have ever seen.Harris Dickinson prove his charm can be overtly aesthetic and visually playful through the art of blank canvas

This film tells the story of a young man who goes to London to find his artistic dreams. The film is visually very beautiful. Harris Dickinson is beautiful, and is clearly objectified in the film. The story is interesting. It is pleasing to see that BFI makes a film as alternative and as erotic as this.

I love the films of Rohmer, of Anne Fontaine and quite a lot of good Queer Cinema. What I do not like are narcissistic films about so-called intellectual rent boys who go on and on about artists, writers etc and rake in the money from elderly men who want ' artistic ' stimulation. All this boils down to begging from the young something these men once had, or never had but want. The focus of attention in this film is a very boring youth who suffers from Stendhal Syndrome which poses a bit of a problem when he sees too much beauty. The dialogue is terrible, the music annoying and I wondered more than once what Derek Jarman would have thought of this. In fact the whole feel of the film feels like the 80's including a ridiculous Soho and a highly improbable group of sexually ambiguous young men. And what annoys me most is that Gay men will fork out their money for watching this. I urge anyone who is tempted by this coy film to get ' Sauvage ' and to watch a truly great film with a truly great actor in the lead. One of the worst and most pretentious films I have ever seen.