What I Think Of You

Two old friends meet up again to go for a wee walk in the woods, but a lot of retrodden ground needs to be covered when one of them can’t move on from the past.

Steven (Watson) and Nick (Cumming) haven’t seen each other for a while. They used to hang out together but they don’t anymore and Nick has recently been in touch to see if he can remedy the situation. The two old pals have decided to go for a wee hike in the woods and hills around the city, with the green trees, rolling fields and tumbling water providing the perfect backdrop for a little reminiscing.

The best buds are happily enjoying each other’s company, finding out about each other’s lives again, but as soon as the subject of current relationships is brought up the air turns a little funny and Nick finds himself not able to say very much. It seems that there is a bigger past at play which may not have run its course and this walk in the woods may just be a pretence for an unfinished conversation which needs to be had.

Directed very ably by Max Hanover, What I Think Of You is really the baby of producer, writer and star, James Cumming. Taking on the role of Nick, Cumming bravely plays the more unsympathetic character of the piece, showing that he is more concerned about getting things right for his film than he is about looking good on camera. His script is relatable and genuine, with the two main characters feeling very ‘normal’ in their everyday language and issues. Both Jack Watson as Steven and James Cumming as Nick keep the feeling of the conversation very natural with their portrayal of the troubled friends, and the straightforward way the narrative plays out is helped by their believable everyday delivery.

Cumming is also helped out in all corners by some crisp, luxuriant cinematography from Alex Roberts, a gentle, enigmatic score from Lizzie Mikietyn, and some great quality audio recorded by Paul Travers. All of these elements are very well handled and add immeasurably to the audience’s enjoyment of the film, allowing Cumming to air his themes through the dialogue as he touches on some pretty deep-seated issues.

What I Think Of You seems very personal to James Cumming. He completely understands the themes he is trying to portray and writes his characters as though he knows them intimately. This all helps to keep the story and scenario of the film believable and relatable. What I Think Of You is, however, restricted by its focus and its narrative, with nothing more dramatic than a heated conversation happening during its entirety. There is plenty to like in the fifteen-minute runtime of What I Think Of You and what was expressed here, by cast and crew, is hopefully just a taster of what’s to come further down the line.