Comes a Bright Day

British filmmaker Simon Aboud makes his full length debut as a director and writer of the indie film Comes a Bright Day. The film is a bizarre blend of genres when a romantic love story unfolds during a life threatening hostage situation. There was even some comedy sprinkle in. But the hodgepodge of themes felt exactly like that, a jumbled mixture of dissimilar themes that did not mix well.

Sam Smith (Craig Roberts) is hotel bellboy or as he describes it, a bag carrier and general bitch for the rich. One day his manager sends him on an errand that takes him to a jewelry store. Before he does that he makes a quick stop at a local café where he meets a girl named Mary Bright (Imogen Poots) who catches his eye. The two exchange a few words before leaving. It just so happens that the two would meet again in just a few short moments.

Upon entering the jewelry store he has already made up his mind that he would like to date her. Fate is on his side as she works at the jewelry store that he was sent to go to. But fate also had something else in store for him when two guys with guns show up to rob the place. Suddenly they become involved in a hostage situation.

The gunmen assumed that the robbery would be a quick smash and grab and did not take in account to be trapped inside the store surrounded by police. Now confined to the store they must come up with another plan. In the meantime, Sam and Mary continue to get to know one another despite the inopportune setting. Sam soon finds out that Mary is planning on leaving the country in less than a month, which assumes they make it out of this situation alive.

Although Craig Roberts plays a similar role to his character in Submarine, the performance did not match. His deadpan delivery and play-it-cool attitude did not work as well here. He never acted like his life was in danger unlike the rest of the cast who were way more believable (especially Imogen Poots). He just did not seem to fit properly in this film.

Where Comes a Bright Day shines the most is the camera work. The majority of the film was restricted to a single room which can be difficult to pull off. Aside from the limited setting, the film was impressive with presenting well composed shots. Production quality as a whole was the only area that the film was proficient in.

You have to appreciate Aboud’s bold attempt of making his first feature film that combines such different genres but it did not work as feature film. I think it would have been better suited to be condensed down into a short film. Comes a Bright Day had too many issues to be a film that can be recommend to watch. The one thing that the film did accomplish is that it showed Aboud does have potential as a director but Comes a Bright Day was perhaps just a bit too ambitious for the rookie filmmaker.