One of the selections from the Edinburgh Film Festival's 'best of the fest' which you hope was based on initial ticket sales & not critical response - otherwise you would worry about the quality of this years output. Whilst it's nice to see a Cuban backdrop in a narrative drama, it doesn't really compensate for some shockingly bad writing & uninspired direction - which is particularly evident in having all the characters constantly think out loud (the first 10 minutes in this regard are absolutely appalling). The performances too are largely unconvincing, with Eva Birthistle (very good in Loach's 'Ae Fond Kiss') struggling immensely with a hugely unsympathetic idiot of a protagonist, whose every solution to a problem seems to solely involve walking out of a scene that lapses more than 2 minutes. Still, her turn is award-worthy compared to the amateurish showings by her supposed sister & her constant kilt-wearing cypher of a friend. Well intended it might be, but it can thank the Cuban cast & the work done by the unit directors to lift it above the tragic threshold.
Review of Day of the Flowers
