Rose of Nevada Review: Britain's Most Original Filmmaker Sends Callum Turner Hurtling Through Time
In Rose of Nevada, director Mark Jenkin, celebrated as one of Britain's most original filmmakers, crafts a quasi-ghost story set on the rugged Cornish coast. Starring George MacKay and Callum Turner, the film follows two young men who find themselves supernaturally transported back to 1993, exploring themes of identity, history, and community.
A 16mm Gem with Unconventional Vision
Jenkin continues his distinctive style, using a wind-up Bolex camera to shoot on 16mm film, much like in his previous works Bait (2019) and Enys Men (2022). This approach captures the raw textures of the Cornish environment—the percussive thud of the ocean, the rough scrape of rusted chains, and the delicate carpet of lichen and wildflowers. His filmmaking feels thrillingly at odds with conventional cinema, avoiding nostalgic fetishisation of celluloid. Instead, Rose of Nevada is beautiful yet uneasy, emphasizing the fragility of the film strip and the ever-present risk of its story being lost.
Star Power Blended into Texture
Despite featuring familiar faces like George MacKay, star of 1917 (2019), and Callum Turner, a potential future Bond, Jenkin integrates them seamlessly as mere textures within his visual tapestry. They play Nick and Liam, young men hired by a local fisherman, portrayed by Jenkin regular Edward Rowe, alongside a grizzled captain played by Francis Magee, to work on the mysterious boat Rose of Nevada. The vessel reappears after three decades missing, its crew presumed lost in a storm, setting the stage for a supernatural journey.
A Supernatural Leap to 1993
When Nick and Liam return from their first catch, they find the village transformed from a hollow, struggling community into a bustling hub dependent on their work. A newspaper reveals the truth: they have traveled back to 1993, seemingly replacing or becoming the dead fishermen. Liam embraces his new role as husband and father, while Nick resists, clinging to his identity and family in the future. Both actors handle this theme of self-obliteration with grace, adding depth to Jenkin's narrative.
Conventional Yet Dreamlike Storytelling
Rose of Nevada marks Jenkin's most conventional narrative film to date, yet it remains filled with dreams, visions, and ambiguities. Described as a Cornish version of The Great Gatsby, it uses a literal boat to explore the past's retrievability. The film poses poignant questions: Can the past be reclaimed, especially one the characters never lived? How are they bound to a community they can no longer benefit from? History is portrayed as both a burden and a seduction, with Jenkin merging timelines into a unified poem of bright shades, sharp textures, and a crunchy, post-production soundscape.
Final Verdict
Directed by Mark Jenkin and starring George MacKay, Callum Turner, Rosalind Eleazar, Francis Magee, and Mary Woodvine, Rose of Nevada is a Cert 15 film with a runtime of 114 minutes. It premieres in cinemas from 24 April 2026, offering an immersive experience that makes viewers feel part of its haunting world.
