9/12 ForReel Score | 4/5 Stars

Anyone who’s ever worked in a restaurant knows the whirlwind of drama that comes with the job. However, most guests are so absorbed in their dining experience that they don’t realize the chaos that ensues in the kitchen and amongst the staff. These plights - which often include struggles with addiction, mental health issues, and interpersonal hostility - have to all be masked by public-facing smiles and appetizing plates. Actor-turned-director Philip Barantini takes a big swing by filming his sophomore feature, Boiling Point, in one take. It's a bold choice that pays dividends in building anxiety and tension within the narrative. With this feature, Barantini serves up an immersive snapshot of the relentless pressure of a head chef on the brink.

Set on one of the busiest nights of the year, the last Friday before Christmas, Boiling Point focuses on a chef and his team as they juggle cooking, pleasing high-end guests, and dealing with each other. Dipping in and out of their personal lives while dealing with high-maintenance customers, the film is a realistic portrayal of the working conditions in the premium hospitality business. Often a training course in what to and not to do in high-pressure situations, the film addresses everything from substance abuse to the stress of dealing with unreasonable customers to the detriments of miscommunication.

When going into a film that is said to be captured in a single continuous take, there’s always a suspicion of if it is actually done in one shot, every so often looking for a cut. Boiling Point is truly filmed in a continuous single shot, just as Barantini’s 2019 short of the same name. Originally set to be filmed eight times over the course of four nights, the production was halted after the second day of filming due to Covid-19. The third take was ultimately the one used for the film.

Other films, like Oscar winners 1917 and Birdman, have used this approach as a stunt in order to hide bland stories behind dazzling technique. This is not the case with Boiling Point. It absorbs the audience into the story and sets them down at the restaurant in full view of everything, making it easy to forget that there has yet to be a cut thanks in large part to the dexterity of the film’s cinematography team with Matthew Lewis behind the lens. Like a baton being passed from character to character, popping in and out of every conflict, it flows perfectly from one scene to the next.

The effect of filming in one take adds a sense of integrity to the performances. The whole cast shines, but Stephen Graham’s performance as head chef Andy truly dazzles. Already starting the night with a multitude of personal issues, Andy then has to deal with problem after problem starting the second he walks in the restaurant. The pressure causes him to lash out in the kitchen, with these big bursts of anger over the tiniest things. But then, he has to pull himself together and hold in all of this emotion when dealing with stressors in the dining area. That emotional roller coaster Graham captures perfectly instills the magnitude of the burden his character has to carry.

Boiling Point is a tight 90 minutes, which keeps the film tense. Still, there is a craving for more. There’s a desire to stay with the characters a tad longer and see how the rest of their individual stories unfold after Barantini orchestrates the perfect microcosm showcasing the hostility service workers deal with everyday. Boiling Point is an authentic glimpse into this physically and mentally demanding industry. One has to have tough skin working in a restaurant. And if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

REVIEW: "Boiling Point"; The Hostility of Hospitality