DRAGONFLY

UK, 2025, 98 minutes, Colour.

Andrea Riseborough, Brenda Blethyn, Jason Watkins.

Directed by Paul Andrew Williams.

The audience will have to work on the title, the film having a prologue with a quotation from James Thurber, concerning time, dragonflies and their short span of life, and angels living too long. We are put on the alert to identify dragonflies and angels – and both together.

This is very much a two hander, a drama which could work effectively in theatre. We are first introduced to all Elsie, thirteen years a widow, living alone in suburbia. And this is very much a film about suburbia, a town in Yorkshire, the suburban streets and houses, factories at the end of the street, the sound of the nearby railway tracks, traffic passing. Elsie has homecare – and a rather unsympathetic picture of the carers who often have six people that they have two care for each day, showers, tidying and cleaning, cooking… Sometimes cutting the time required, often not knowing the name of the person they are caring for. Elsie manages, walking stick, arthritis in her hand, watching television…

This is a wonderful performance by Brenda Blethyn, so many of us knowing her for being Vera over so many years. She will be 80 in 2016 – and gives all to her performance as an ordinary ageing woman.

Next door is Colleen, living alone, devoted to her large hybrid dog Sabre. We never learn a great deal about Colleen’s past except that she had a difficult childhood, in care, living on benefits. When Sabre destroys Elsie’s flower bed, Colleen intervenes, often calls into chat, of tea, offering to do the shopping, the friendship growing between the two women. Because we know Elsie, we are perhaps too wary and suspicious of Colleen’s motivations, especially when Elsie gives her her credit card to use. But the friendship continues, and a great deal of focus on Sabre.

Andrea Riseborough embodies Colleen, a striking performance.

The third character is Elsie’s son, John, Jason Watkins, living at a distance, phone calls, eventually coming to see her his mother, encountering Colleen and, especially, Sabre. He is very suspicious though seemingly courteous to Colleen.

There are some shocks to follow, more shocking because we have come to appreciate the bond between Elsie and Colleen – and the realisation that suspicions can be very destructive, showing what breaking friendships will when they could have been so beneficial and lasting.

1. The title, the opening quote from James Thurber, short life of dragonflies, long life of angels?
2. The Yorkshire setting, the ordinary suburban Street, the houses, adjacent, the factories nearby, the rail track? The town centre, shops, supermarket? The house and the interiors? The musical score?
3. A film about living alone, age, homecare, neighbours? Women living alone? Friendships, interdependence? Family, responsibilities?
4. Elsie, her age, widow for 13 years, the care package, the carers, showering, cooking, general help? Personalised or not? The range of carers, the busy days, 6 to look after, not necessarily knowing names, cutting time of service short? Elsie and her response to the carers? Her daily life, meals, television, arthritis in her hand, the walking stick? Phone calls from her son? The kiss to her husband’s photo at night?
5. Colleen, next door, with the dog, Sabre? Alone, the screenplay not giving her much of a back story, later explanation of her father, her brother, her mother’s choice, in care? Living on benefits? At home in the house, with Sabre? Watching television, the beauty programs, her following the make up guidance?
6. The meeting of the two, Colleen wanting to help, Sabre ruining the flowers, Colleen buying more and planting them? The growing conversations, Colleen coming into the house, offering to do the shopping, scenes of shopping, scenes at home, talking, cups of tea? The bond between the two? The effect on Elsie, friendship, chatting? Getting used to Sabre?
7. Colleen and her criticism of the carer? Offering to do the work, no money? The motivations? Audience wariness? The shopping, the card, using the card and its failing? The shops, buying the walkie-talkie, setting it up, learning how to use it?
8. The growing friendship between the two? Elsie and her conversations with her son?
9. John, not visiting often, his family, arriving, wariness of the dog, suspicious of Colleen, talking to her, the cups of tea, the conversations with his mother?
10. The police arriving, the struggle with Colleen, taking the dog, destroying it? Colleen coming home, sad? Denouncing John? Elsie, upset, talking with her son, his calling the police? Motivations?
11. Colleen, erratic behaviour, without her dog, lonely? Disappearance? Suddenly appearing, looking bereft? Elsie and the phone call from her daughter-in-law?
12. Colleen, the blood, resting on the table, stabbing herself? The news of John’s car being found, his body? Colleen and her death?
13. The touches of the horror, but the horror of harshness, betrayals, ruining friendships?
14. And the final scene of Elsie in the aged care village?