a short film by Jules Nurrish
2005 | 12 mins | UK
Alexis Gregory .... Matt
Will Irvine .... Steven
Matt Warman .... Joe
Harry Capehorn .... Gary
Jackie Howe .... Mom
Michael O'Flaherty .... Dad
Rebecca Probyn .... Nicky
Dean Holley .... Alfie
Alastair Thomson Mills .... Coach
John Last .... First guy in toilet
Daniel Gennis .... Second guy in toilet
Sinden .... Skinhead in woods
Dean Connolly .... Other guy in woods
No Ordinary Joe
a Joe Orton inspired coming-of-age story
Screened in Great Britain as part of the
19th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
- 2005
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Written and directed by Jules Nurrish, this well-crafted British short taps into the genre of
emerging teenage sexuality, only with a far more up front and sexier edge
than what we generally see.
For football mad Matt mixes his love of the beautiful game, with his love of the works of Joe
Orton and a sexual orientation that is all but obvious, at least to us, given his family and best
friend Gary are seemingly unaware of such. Only if confirmation is required then cast your eyes
to the left as Matt sneaks a voyeuristic look at two guys getting intimate with each other in
the woods, before setting off to visit one of his heroes old haunts and a public convenience
that still bears the spirit of the man himself! Question is, could words of advice from an
ordinary or perhaps not so ordinary Joe, finally prompt Matt to get up close and personal
with that hunk of a football substitute he's been lusting after, before
both the game and the short come to an end?
With more than a nod and a wink to the writing style of Joe Orton, this sexually direct work
plays heavily on a series of Orton inspired voiceovers in order to convey the thoughts of
the lead character. All of which works well, until Nurrish plays supernatural games by
bringing Orton back from the dead. Thankfully Matt Warman as Orton gives a remarkably
convincing performance of the satirical playwright, yet the sequence itself
remains somewhat false and corny.
On the positive side however, it does allow the ghost of Orton to extend his philosophy on life
and the line "you know it all ends in disappointment Matthew, but there is beauty
along the way." An apt piece of dialogue, given there is many a beautiful moment to be found
in this work. For Nurrish has packed a lot in to a mere twelve minutes, with scenes of Matt
with his family and cheeky chappie of a best friend, playing alongside some spirited
lockerroom camaraderie, together with a highly realistic cruising sequence.
Well-executed throughout, this is a sharp coming-of-age story from a director who wanted to make
a film that was based somehow on Joe Orton's diaries, in the form of the style of writing
of the man himself. The result is a provocative work that is guaranteed
to entertain Mr Sloane and the boys alike!
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