Writer: Daniel Glenn-Barbour
Directors: Daniel Glenn-Barbour and Angelika Napierala
A sensitive and moving exploration of male mental health, grief and suicide, Daniel Glenn-Barbour and Angelika Napierala’s movie The Worth of Life has a deeply considered central narrative, a day in the life of a young man struggling with his mother’s death and whether his own life is enough. Designed as an acted documentary, the film often belies its low budget to build strong characterisation and audience investment in a fly-on-the-wall meets stream of consciousness approach that builds in significance as Tyler’s day plays out.
Certain his new documentary will make some much-needed money for his family, other people in his life are less convinced as a day full of drama, confrontation and surprised unfolds. Taking stranger, Jordan, with him as cameraman, driver and sometime co-star as Tyler encounters his cheating ex-girlfriend, various friends and a father who wants him to get a ‘real’ job. But the events of this day will resonate beyond midnight.
There is a deliberate rough and ready feel to The Worth of Life filmed on handheld cameras, always consistently from one perspective. There are no reaction shots or cutaways, just the one view of every scene that gives the drama a personalised, homemade feel that suits its intimate subject matter and embraces the warmth of its characters. This raw energy certainly underpins some of the interior and complex conversations that occur during the film, and although clearly scripted, have the tone and visual style of impromptu activities that move the story along.
Where the film gives itself away is in some of the secondary performances that don’t have the natural style of the haphazardly captured conversations, the actors too aware of the camera and sometimes delivering performances that are too big, almost stagey for such a small screen. Glenn-Barbour’s writing is insightful though particularly about the constant pull between life and death as living with grief and particularly the grace period individuals have before others see their sorrow as indulgent is articulated well. It would be interesting to see more on this, however, an extrapolation perhaps from Hamlet who too is asked to set aside his mourning when others become tired of his woes.
The two central performs however are impressive and very comfortable on screen, capturing the different kinds of grief and its impacts that flow through both men. Micah Tsekiri conveys the pain of inconsolable loss well but also the front he puts on and the confusion that affects his outlook. Rico Bowlin as Jordan is equally good, largely perplexed by being dragged into someone else’s day but his own struggle in the final segment of the film is convincing and moving.
This is really promising work from a group of early career filmmakers with an important message and a talent for moving and significant storytelling.
The Worth of Life was screened at the Genesis Cinema Whitechapel on 11 June.
