This darkly comic drama tracks one man’s post-breakup spiral, as memory and desire blur in a stylised, emotionally candid exploration of identity and intimacy. Written and co-directed by Neil Ely and Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, who also stars, the film follows Benji, a thirtysomething yearning for genuine connection but let down by a string of bad boyfriends.
After a recent breakup with Jake (David Tag), a hunky personal trainer with a closeted double life, Benji descends into a whirl of drinking, drugs and casual hookups. A weekend getaway to Amsterdam – the city where he and Jake went during their clandestine relationship – further opens old wounds.
Though grappling with heavy issues such as body image, family rejection and toxic masculinity, Departures never veers into maudlin sentimentality, favouring instead dark comedy and a poppy visual style. Through dynamic elliptical editing, Benji’s self-destructive spiral and his memories with Jake blur into a nonlinear narrative that echoes the mind-shattering effects of a broken heart.
Eyre-Morgan’s strong chemistry with Tag ballasts the lead role, and much of the film is driven by Benji’s internal monologue, delivered with self-deprecating humour and raw honesty. However, the reliance on voiceover occasionally causes the momentum to falter, especially during emotional scenes where the visuals could have spoken for themselves.
Despite some over-exposition through flashbacks, Departures remains a highly thoughtful exploration of love and identity, and an excellent showcase for northern talents on film.
