Justin Doherty’s WILDERNESS is about two people, John (James Barnes) and Alice (Katherine Davenport) who seem to be caught up in a burning desire for each other. The two main characters are consumed in their love bubble until they realize that despite their mutual passion, they actually are quite different from one another.
One weekend they hire a cottage on a remote beach to spend some quality time together, away from John’s busy schedule as a touring Jazz musician. Their romantic getaway does not turn out to be as wonderful as they hoped, however, Secrets emerge from the lonely corners of Charlie (Sebastian Badarau) and Francis’ (Bean Downes) home after a supposed friendly dinner with some old friends. The weaknesses of their relationship start to appear but as they do try to put the past behind it reappears through their insecurities, flaws and failures.
In one sequence in the film, Alice gets drunk at Charlie’s house. She dances provocatively with Charlie and afterwards scolds men for their secretive behaviors towards women. According to Neil Fox, the writer of the film, he crafted the scene similarly to the way Cassavetes would by letting the actors perform naturally through improvisation. Regarding the influence of Cassavetes in WILDERNESS, Fox stated that the influence is mainly focused on scenes where John and Alice speak to each other. It’s about how two characters in the film talk to each other.
No one seems to quite fathom Alice’s personality. Many times in the film, John declares how different Alice is from other women. Other characters create the same impression stating that Alice is ‘quite something’. On occasions, Alice might seem understanding and loving but that does not hide her manipulative and demanding side.
For portraying the complicated character of Alice, Davenport was presented with the best actress award at the London Indie festival. Her performance felt natural yet bold which made her incomprehensible character more appealing to watch. Fox and Doherty do justice to the characters by simply placing them in beautiful surroundings which drown the two main characters in the fantasy of their lovable relationship. The visuals were simple yet organic, providing space for the audience to take in the spectacularly breathtaking landscapes.
By portraying these complex characters, Barnes and Davenport reveal the truth about relationships between diverse personalities, through their honest performances. The filmmakers frame the two main characters carefully to contrast the world around them. Reality awaits within each corner of the frames, making the viewers question themselves and their relationships.
Wilderness ‘Official Trailer’ from Baracoa Pictures on Vimeo.