How much do you know about a stranger? Could you look into their eyes and tell that they are lonely too? Maybe the cracks around their eyes are just as prominent as yours, so much so that catching their gaze is haunting - redolent in your mind. You can't look away. You need to know more. Perhaps touch them, and with a simple caress of your fingers you say; "I see you." It’s this romanticism of the human spirit that makes you fall in love with someone everyday on the tube or in a public setting, falling into the gaze of their pupils and yearning to offload your spirit.
The brilliance of Emily is centred on such a fantastic character, played effortlessly by Felicity Jones (who, by the way, will never look over thirty. She barely looks over 25). Emily is the type of woman that you will meet in your everyday life but is so rarely portrayed on the screen. For a start, she is blunt and opens herself up to James sexually and emotionally straight away. Unafraid to proposition James, Emily is this confidence whilst still damaged, getting over a recent break-up, she immediately connects with this stranger and her brashness is endearing. Matched with complete chemistry with Eccleston, who is at first taken aback but realises her charm and class.
Flowing from their mouths like a silky smooth coffee is this strong dialogue, hitting the air with this realistic tone. These are conversations that squirm in our brains and very rarely take the sober bullet to say out loud. As it falls from the lips of Emily, the tone is striking and it is energised with this control. She speaks of desires she wants to implement without hesitation, the words are completely enthused with confidence yet delicacy as she tries to encourage James affections out. It’s a verbal battle of lust and it works because their meeting is a fumble at the emotional panty girdle and allows sex to become a core aid in healing their embittered city loneliness.
With strong performances, a phenomenal script and a tenderness at the centre, Emily is a wildly terrific short from director and writer Caroline Harvey.
Emily is now available at We Are Colony