Following

1999 "You're never alone."
7.5| 1h9m| R| en| More Info
Released: 02 April 1999 Released
Producted By: Syncopy
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: https://www.nextwavefilms.com/following/index.html
Info

Bill, an idle, unemployed aspiring writer, walks the crowded streets of London following randomly chosen strangers, a seemingly innocent entertainment that becomes dangerous when he crosses paths with a mysterious character.

Genre

Drama, Thriller

Watch Online

Following (1999) is now streaming with subscription on AMC+

Director

Christopher Nolan

Production Companies

Syncopy

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Following Audience Reviews

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
MJB784 Why is this story told backwards and what's the chronological version like? Is there a way to find it online? Also, is the burglar's name really Cobb or the name on the credit card that the young man forged? The old man at the end states there's no listing of Cobb and that the house being robbed was Danny's (the name on the credit card). Yet, in the beginning, we see the two rob Cobb's house without the young man knowing that it's his. It would make sense since Cobb never had a last name and police don't know what he looks like anyway.
TheLittleSongbird Not one of Nolan's best films (second weakest from personal opinion), but for a debut and for being made on such a low budget much of 'Following' is very impressive. Even if it became much more refined in his later films, there is a sense that Nolan has found his style and not hopelessly trying to find his feet.'Following' isn't perfect. The motivation for the lead female character is very thin, likewise with the character herself and Lucy Russell is a blank acting-wise. The film doesn't get going straight away with a slightly dull first 10 minutes, and there is one or two twist(s) too many which gives the ending a convoluted and contrived feel.However, the production values could have been much worse considering that it was a debut film and that the budget was reminiscent of a miniscule student film budget. Granted, Nolan's visual style became more audacious in later films, and very quickly (the difference in style between 'Following' and his next, and best, film 'Memento' is staggering), but as the way it's shot, lit and composed has much more atmosphere and class than most "student films" calling it one seems somewhat of an insult.David Julyan provides a chilling score, that is not as good as his thematically complex one for 'Memento' but on the same level as that for 'Insomnia' and better than the fitting (within the film) forgettable (on its own) one for 'The Prestige'.Apart from the odd stilted moment, the dialogue has many clever and thoughtful ones, and Nolan does a good job directing even if more expansive, ambitious and refined in his later films. The story is interesting and remarkably tight, with very few needless elements, a case of ambition mostly not getting in the way (something that undermined 'Interstellar' and to a lesser extent 'Inception', though those films have many strong elements) until the ending tries to do a little too much.Characters are interesting, being likable but doing not so likable things. The acting is mostly very much committed, with Alex Haw especially being very good and charismatic.On the whole, Nolan went on to do much better things (especially with 'The Dark Knight' trilogy and 'Memento') but 'Following' is not a bad start at all and fares better than some more famous and more influential director's debut films (Kubrick with 'Fear and Desire' for example). 7/10 Bethany Cox
tsakiridis1217 I love this film. Just calm, simple, strong filmmaking.Truth is that not many directors can make such a good movie with such a small budget. The story is original. The deeper you go in the movie, the more you start to recognize Nolans' signature. And while it may not be that spectacular, it is engaging and if you invest in it, you'll win. It surely captures the spirit of a less noisy, silent noir-film, than the great set-pieces of blockbusters. It's a confident and self-realized script executed really well.I guess that finding and watching this movie alone is a proof that you are probably a Nolan fan, so I trust that you'll enjoy it. But the man who is behind this picture is today one of the finest directors and screenwriters, so even if you are not a fan of these types of films, you have a reason to give it a shot.
jt6626 Following was a nifty, little noir-ish film. Nothing more, nothing less. The acting was pleasantly good across the board. The lack of big name actors/actresses is icing on the cake; no alter egos from other films are unintentionally commingled. The characters are truly the characters. The film is shot in black and white. Combined with the photography, the film clearly suggests a noir influence. While this is somewhat suiting for the circumstances of the main character, it leaves the cinematography feeling rather uncreative. (Nolan actually admitted to using black and white initially because of his limited equipment. He worked with it, and headed in a noir direction for an unconfused look. Due to the circumstances, I won't hold it against him.)Unfortunately, this movie falls short in the writing. This is a Nolan film and is pieced together in Nolan's trademark style: simultaneously presented sequences of a central plot that differ with respect to time and converge at some point in the movie. Nolan used the same kind of video editing in Memento, but in a way that's much more clear cut and purposeful. Following is no more than the presentation of a brilliant concept, not yet made to work. Yes, Following was very low budget. Yes, it's Nolan's first real movie. You'll want to hold back on the harsh criticism you'd give movies of a higher budget or more experienced director, but frankly; these factors don't really play into the film's conspicuous flaws. The directing was excellent, but the story (after it's untangled) is nothing more than just that: a story.See this film if you're a die-hard Nolan fan, it's nothing special otherwise.