In my mind the most compelling reason for women to view True Things is to experience a moment of common feeling or understanding of the protagonist's situation. Kate (as played by Ruth Wilson of The Affair) is going through the motions with a job and lifestyle she isn't keen on. To put it bluntly she is battling a pervading feeling of everyday sameness and is doing her best to sabotage her job, family life and friendships as a means of creating a moment of drama in her days. As many of us know, Kate's feeling of disenchantment with life can come at any point.
It is therefore not surprising that she is like a sponge soaking up the sense of excitement, flirtation and attention that the charismatic stranger, David (Tom Burke of The Souvenir) sends her way at a chance meeting through her work. Kate's longing or desire to experience the extraordinary takes her unwittingly to places of extreme vulnerability.
Kate's kind nature, and appetite for sexual and emotional appreciation lends herself to being taken advantage of by David. His demands start out small with mostly a racey undertone. Gradually they increase in number and in their level of ability to demean her. It is this atmosphere that creates the premise of a psychological drama. We watch in empathy but also in horror as Kate's life careers off course.
Harry Wootliff has expertly directed the film's cast to build up an almost palpable tension in this book to movie adaptation of Deborah Kay Davies" novel True Things About Me. Wootliff calmly places all the pieces of a destructive toxic relationship on the big screen in full sight for all to witness the dangers of infatuation and obsession, especially the type that allows your imagination to believe in an unreal reality. Go in with curiosity and empathy to gain the most from this movie.
Release date: 1st September 2022
