Idol Film Review

Star rating: 4/5

Writer: Samantha Robinson

Director: Ruth Carney

Starring: Samantha Robinson and Keeley Lane

This intriguing drama about online connections, new friends in adulthood and risk-taking is deeply in tune with our times.

Written by Samantha Robinson, this story set in Sheffield around a Rick Astley gig showcases the experience of connecting with someone through a shared interest, and the unexpected surprises this can bring. Sadie and Amelia, played by Samantha Robinson and Keeley Lane, are Rick Astley superfans, having connected over this online and meeting in person for the first time for his gig. The question of trust is posed from the beginning as they chat online, with Amanda reminding Sadie of the tickets and telling her, in a half-joke-half-true sort of way that she hopes she is not a ‘catfish!’ It is also explored in how Amelia does not tell her friends she is going to the gig.

Both actresses give beautifully naturalistic performances and paint the full picture of the characters’ quite contrasting personalities. This is also shown through the script itself, with them making small talk about their contrasting views on trains (‘I hate them’, says Amelia), and their costume, smart casual vs comfortable and colourful.

Technically this film takes quite a gritty drama approach to its shot choices, its lighting and its sound. There are gripping close ups at the beginning as Sadie and Amelia are chatting online, lovely moving shots and wide shots of them walking to the gig, with amazing views of the hills surrounding Sheffield. Location-wise, the station and lovely residential streets where the story unfolds fully add to the tone of the story, they are great choices. There is a heartfelt bit of dialogue where Sadie calls herself and Amelia Rick Astley’s biggest fans in the North, from Lancashire and Yorkshire, so ‘we’ve got all the Roses covered’! This pride of place and funny reference to history brings the location to life and it’s always brilliant to see a strong connection between story and place in a film.

We could describe Idol as a bit of a thriller- tonally, the opening is subtly suggestive that there is more to the story, and the plot twist we are shown near the end confirms this. Risk-taking, especially once we are well into adulthood, can feel different than it used to previously in life. But sometimes all it takes is showing up, as the story that unfolds in Idol asks us to consider.