Some have described Weekend as the British answer to Before Sunrise, and to some extent they are right. This is a talky romance set over, yes, a weekend, where a one night stand turns into something resembling love.
The strength of the film lies in the honesty of the performances by lead actors Tom Cullen (now a new addition to the cast of Downton Abbey) and Chris New. They brilliantly capture the awkwardness and excitement of two people realizing they have built up a stronger emotional bond than they had originally bargained for. Writer and director Andrew Haigh directs with sensitivity and confidence and the film was rightly highlighted as one of the standout features of 2011.
The Blu-ray disc from Peccadillo Pictures, similar to the US’s Criterion edition, offers a superb picture. The film was shot digitally and on a rather small budget, but nothing about this presentation feels cheap or amateurish. This is an excellent release for an excellent film.
Weekend (2011), directed by Andrew Haigh, is released on Blu-ray disc in the UK by Peccadillo Pictures, Certificate 18. Watch the trailer below:
