Nightride Review: One Shot at Redemption.

Directed by Stephen Fingleton, Nightride follows a drug dealer on his last job before going straight. His last ride is an evening filled with close calls and tense confrontations. Told in real-time in one shot, the conceit livens up an otherwise generic film.

The film begins in Budge (Moe Dunford) and Sofia’s (Joana Ribeiro) apartment. Budge assures Sofia of his safe return and the start of a new life after the job’s been complete. From there, we follow Budge as he drives around Belfast, taking calls from those he owes money to, and meeting up with associates along the way. As expected, the final deal doesn’t go down as planned. Budge is forced to get creative if he wants to survive the night.

Instant comparisons to Tom Hardy’s 2013 film Locke are obvious — both films take place primarily in a vehicle (in Locke’s case, the entire film) with characters being introduced and a story told through telephone calls over the car speaker. Just as it did in Locke, the realtime style works to the same effect. And given the static position Dunford is in for the majority of the film, he does a great job of seizing the opportunity to deliver every emotion required. A particularly good call-in character is Cuz (Ellie O’Halloran), a young girl Budge has clear paternal instincts towards, as he gives her a prep talk before she goes out on a date. Cuz provides a needed break in the film’s tension and is incorporated nicely into the events of the evening.

The one shot filmmaking is compelling without feeling gimmicky, due in great part to Fingleton’s restraint and Dunford’s performance. However, because the story is generic and the characters, particularly the baddies, are thinly written, the slick camera movements add suspense and tension, but overwhelm the film.

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However, Nightride proves itself to be a confident work that embraces its minimalistic vibe and is nevertheless an entertaining watch.

Nightride is available on VOD.



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