Emma Donnelly opens the door for Dominic Savage's dark drama.
Right before the third act of The Escape, we hear our protagonist’s name for the first time: Tara. It is a genuine, unexpected shock to the system. Up until this point, Tara has been addressed as ‘Darling’, ‘Love’, ‘Mummy’, and, when the mood strikes, even ‘Stupid Mummy’, setting the stage for this exploration of identity.
Tara is embodied by Gemma Arterton in a career-best performance. She’s a woman stuck in a middle-class rut. She dreams of being an artist, something her corporate husband, Mark (Cooper), cannot comprehend. She is severely depressed. Her abjection stems from the crushing weight of the routine, responsibilities, and monotony of her life as a stay-at-home mum. Her condition soars above Mark’s head. At one point, with his wife’s back turned to him, he can’t tell whether she is laughing or crying – it is quite obviously the latter.
The problem is Mark is blissful; he buries his head in the sand. From his point of view, he has a good job, a flashy car, a trophy wife, and a nice house in the suburbs with a ‘conservatory’. He can play with the kids before going to work, leaving ‘Mummy’ to look after them. He insists upon morning sex; he probably hasn’t even brushed his teeth! Mark can be forgiven for thinking he has got it made. The one problem is his partner isn’t happy – and he doesn’t want to know. It is unforgivable the way he reacts when his wife reaches out to him. It is a fantastic performance from Dominic Cooper, who is perhaps most recognisable from the American TV series Preacher (2016–). He never lets his character fall into the realm of male chauvinist pig. There is an air of desperation about Mark, though. His wife is drifting away from him and it is out of his control, and whatever influence he may have over his wife’s happiness, he squanders time and time again. He thinks that fancy meals and trite compliments will reset everything back to normal.
The Escape is sometimes very difficult to watch. It is essentially the remnants of a marriage, fuelled only by the fascinating chemistry between the leads and captured by the violent intimacy of Savage’s camera. This pushes the viewer into the claustrophobia that Tara experiences. Mark literally tries to envelop her in several scenes, grabbing her, holding her face; all she wants to do is break free. For these private moments, Savage worked with his actors on improvisation extensively, and this translates to the screen.
What I will reveal, however about the ending, while remaining spoiler-free is its disappointing nature, after opening with such intensity, the film lulls in the final act. The horrible magic created by the two leads gives way to a narrative that seems forced into a conclusion. Nevertheless, this film is an important piece of filmmaking, a cautionary tale and a superbly performed two-hander.
The Escape is released 4th September 2018.
