I Know You Know is writer director Justin Kerrigan’s first feature since his 1999 debut feature Human Traffic. It’s the third British film release I’ve reviewed in the last few months following Scouting Book for Boys and My Last Five Girlfriends and I know You Know is easily the most interesting and well performed of the three films.
Starring exceptional newcomer Arron Fuller as 11-year-old Jamie, who moves to a new flat in a neighbourhood in Wales with his unpredictable secret agent father Charlie, played by the brilliant Robert Carlyle, who has to hide low for a short while until a payment comes through for a job Charlie carried out so the pair can move to the US and live a new life.
Listening to Charlie’s fascinating stories and watching him in action spotting other spies, driving eractically to loose a tail and his meetings with the mysterious Mr. Fisher it becomes clear to Jamie that Charlie is well crafted in his skills. Jamie starts becoming involved in Charlie’s latest mission helping make deliveries to addresses and couriering messages to clients, but it’s when Charlie enters an extreme state of paranoia and unpredictable behaviour after Mr. Fisher fails to make the payment as planned that Jamie is forced to confront the reality of the situation that his father isn’t exactly what he thought he was.
I Know You Know is a wonderfully made film that has an honest and rough edged feel to it that works perfectly with its run down setting and locallised characters and also heightens the unpredictable nature of Carlyle’s wonderful performance as he goes from idolised father to insecure paranoid threat to his son. Add to this the brilliant performance of the young Arron Fuller who shines as Jamie and we are given a fine example of what British acting talent has to offer with Fuller showing an exceptional touching performance which hints at a very exciting career to come.
I know you Know works very well and is a highly personal film from Justin Kerrigan dealing with father/son relationships. From the final third it draws to an increasingly sad and at times scary conclusion which although was predictable is no less emotionally full of punch as the story explains all the plot details laid out for us from the start that made me desperate to see it again so I could piece the clues together from the start.
Overall a very original film with superb performances from Fuller and Carlyle, their relationship is believeable and the feeling of dreed as their bond deteriorates is fascinating and heart breaking.
I Know You Know is out on the 9th April.
Below is the trailer.
