Liam Calvert's directorial debut, A Night Like This, follows two strangers who wander London on Christmas Eve. The film, inspired by the walk-and-talk premise of Before Sunrise, focuses on Lukas (Jack Brett Anderson) and Oliver (Alexander Lincoln), each grappling with personal demons – Lukas, a gay German actor, and Oliver, a singer struggling with a failing nightclub.
According to the review, the attempt at intimacy between the characters is undermined by stilted, expository dialogue laden with clichés about failure and family trauma. The visuals are described as uninspired, relying on repetitive shot/reverse shots and flat lighting that renders indoor scenes uncinematic. Wide shots of London resemble touristy postcards, and the predominantly white cast is noted as a misstep for a film prioritising queer experience, given the city's diversity.
Although occasional emotional sparks between Anderson and Lincoln are acknowledged, the review concludes that their on-screen rapport is insufficient to compensate for the inert filmmaking.
