There are a few too many projects titled Boiling Point: a Takeshi Kitano yakuza movie, a Wesley Snipes cop shoot-out, and even the miniseries that kicked off telly chef Gordon Ramsay’s career.
Actually that last title may be the most closely linked to 2021’s Boiling Point, a searing one-take wonder all about a stressed-out head chef (Stephen Graham). UK audiences can see this celebrated drama in cinemas right now.
Boiling Point is directed by Philip Barantini from his short of the same name, covering one hectic night at a fancy London restaurant. Ramsay-esque chef Andy Jones (Graham) is juggling marital and personal issues even before the nightmarish Christmas dinner service begins, with whining customers and nervous waitstaff battling it out in the dining room.
The film’s ambitious single-take format means that all that tension is ratcheted up to, well, Boiling Point, forcing the actors to plate up Michelin-quality food in real time before the viewer’s very eyes. Peep some of that stressful pace in the trailer below: all pointed fingers, clattering dishes, and even some punches thrown in the kitchen.
At the British Independent Film Awards, Boiling Point dished up eleven nominations and won four, including a prize for Vinette Robinson as Best Supporting Actress.
Our review by Matt Glasby also highlighted Robinson’s performance, calling the film a staggering achievement overall. “Tense, timely and impeccably put-together, it feels like a microcosm not just of the restaurant industry right now, but the country as a whole, pushed to the limits by Brexit and COVID”, Glasby praised. “Let’s hope it ends better for us than it does for Andy and co.”
