The film opens with one of the truly extraordinary set pieces. Rather like a dying star it draws all the characters in only to explode the order of their lives. Director Michell and the adequate Daniel Craig successfully manage to keep us guessing that Joe may also be losing it. Rhys Ifans is a bit overwhelming as the truly unhinged Jed. If only they were both as a balanced as the excellent Samantha Morton (Joe's girlfriend Claire).<br /><br />The slightly lumpy casting continues right down to the teeny parts: Ben Wishaw's student is entirely superfluous to the film but utterly watchable whenever he's on the screen. Conversely the use of Alexandra Aitken (who says no more than half a dozen words in her one scene) is a horribly offputting, nepotistic stain on the film.<br /><br />For all this shifty assembly (often, the script manages neither to bind the chat nor the drama) it is beautifully filmed and has dramatic poise. Above all I really enjoyed Jeremy Sams' score, borrowing a French-inflected soulfulness from Debussy, Messaien and even Bartok. Thank goodness for the success of this meditative facet as the film could fall apart without it. 4/10