Scarborough

Having impressed directing his mother Charlotte Rampling in his debut feature, I, Anna (2012), Barnaby Southcombe takes a step backwards with this adaptation of Fiona Evans's 2008 stage play. Making rather prosaic use of the evocative North Yorkshire setting, Southcombe confines much of the action to the rooms at the Metropole Hotel, respectively occupied by Liz (Jodhi May) and Daz (Jordan Bolger), and Aiden (Edward Hogg) and Beth (Jessica Barden). Liz and Aiden are both teachers to their 16-year-old lovers, and so this study of reckless passion places viewers in an uncomfortable position as they are coerced into empathising with characters involved in illegal liaisons. Each vignette plays out along similar lines, to the extent that they share identical dialogue (a gambit that doesn't always pay off). But, while Felix Coles's shabby chic production design and Ian Liggett's prying camerawork are as adept as the performances (including Daniel York's knowing concierge), the stage origins are always apparent, right down to the somewhat contrived twist.