Rating: (3 of 4)

Like many moviegoers, I recently treated myself to Christopher Nolan's new film, Insomnia. A very good film, Insomnia re-ignited my interest in Nolan, who I had previously only known for his work on Memento, one of the must-see movies of 2000. In any case, realizing that this director was now two for two in my book, I figured I had better check out his only other feature film, Following, released just two years prior to Memento.

Nolan's role in the creation of Following was very hands-on. While he only directed Insomnia and only wrote and directed Memento, he wrote, directed, edited, co-produced, and cinematographed (err... shot) Following personally. It looks from the credits like it also stars two of Nolan's family members. These facts, combined with the film's black and white format and short running time of 69 minutes, betray its low, low $6,000 budget. But the clues end there.

For one thing, the cast, though made up of unknowns, is quite strong. Believable performances all around. Next, the direction of the film, which includes nonlinear storytelling, is done well and interestingly. The cinematography is, upon reflection, unremarkable, but that means it's not bad, either. The plot is clever, and is handled more skillfully than Mamet's last caper, Heist. (Following recalls another of Mamet's films, actually, though I won't say which because that might spoil it.)

Short and sweet, this 69-minute $6,000 film has enough smart moments and a talented enough cast and crew to contend with the big boys... Give it a rent (it's been released on DVD now, following the popularity of Memento), and it'll probably be one of the better movies you've seen in a while.

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