Bitter and Twisted

Christopher Weekes, writer/director/actor

My Saturday started with the Australian film Bitter and Twisted by first time 24-year old director/writer/actor Christopher Weekes. The film begins with the death of a young man, Liam, and we never find out much about his life or how he died. Then the film fast forwards three years and follows the lives of Liam’s family and girlfriend, none of whom have “gotten over it”. The most heartbreaking character is Liam’s father, and overweight car salesman, who eats lunch at his son’s grave everyday and is completely numb to the world around him. Half way through the film you really feel like this man’s life is so awful that suicide might be a good option.

Liam’s brother, played by Christopher Weekes, is a skinny and infinitely awkward guy who tries to take Liam’s place in the family and with his girlfriend but ultimately ends up upsetting everyone around him. There is one incredibly shot scene in which the brother and the girlfriend are sitting on a park bench and the camera circles them rapidly switching from close-ups on each of their faces. During this dizzying camera work, the brother suddenly becomes Liam, but after another rotation, switches back to reality.

The only glimmer of happiness in this film is the brother’s possible gay friend who, for inexplicable reasons, ends up falling in love with this awkward and quiet young brother. The straightforward confession of love and sureness of this character were a shining light within the sea of dark confusion every other character was living in.

After the film, Christopher Weekes answered audience questions and it turned out that this was his first ever attempt at film after being rejected from film school 9 times. And also that while shooting, he truly believed he was shooting a comedy. While this is probably the beginning of an incredible career, it seems that Christopher Weekes himself is Bitter and Twisted.