13 Conversations About One Thing

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I'm gradually working my way through all the films I've taped off Film4, and last night it was the turn of the American film 13 Conversations About One Thing (2001).

It's a look at the lives of four characters told through, surprisingly, thirteen scenes. As the film progresses - often painfully slowly, but none the less beautiful for it - we see how their lives intertwine. There is a focus on the minuscule: often the smallest comment, reaction or expression is responsible for something much bigger, much more important.

I'm glad I've seen this film, if only to reassure me that Americans are capable of producing high-quality thought-provoking films without the need for instantly-recognisable faces as justification. "Good Night And Good Luck" was an excellent film, but it was still deeply rooted in American politics and culture: "13..." shows that (some) Americans do share some qualities with the rest of the human race.

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