REVIEW: Breakwater | 33rd Raindance Film Festival

"Moody, moving, but maybe a little too mellow."

A Gentle Drift into Grief and Connection

Breakwater is one of those slow, meditative dramas that invites you to sit in silence and feel things you didn’t expect to. Premiering at Raindance, it follows Otto, a theology student at Oxford, and John, a much older, ex-navy loner living by the Suffolk coast. The two meet, connect, and unravel each other’s grief in a story that’s more about what’s not said than what is. It’s an unlikely bond rooted in quiet conversations, spiritual questions, and that fuzzy space between friendship, love, and healing.

A Beautiful Film… That Takes Its Time

Let’s be real - this is a very slow burn. At times, it feels more like a poem than a plot. If you're in the mood for action or dramatic twists, you won’t find them here. Some scenes drift by with little momentum, and a few of the side characters (like Lucy and Matt) are introduced but never really fleshed out. It’s clearly aiming for subtlety and stillness - but sometimes that stillness verges on stagnation.

Two Strong Leads, One Fragile Connection

What anchors the film is the relationship between the two leads. Daniel McNamee plays Otto with soft uncertainty, always on the edge of figuring himself out. Shaun Paul McGrath, as John, is full of unspoken weight - there’s sadness in every glance. Together, they have a quiet kind of chemistry that doesn’t scream “romance” but hints at something deeper.

It’s the kind of relationship you feel rather than define.

A Tale of Two Landscapes

Visually, Breakwater is stunning. The contrast between Oxford’s polished traditions and Suffolk’s windswept emptiness adds a lot. It reflects the film’s emotional divide - structure vs freedom, faith vs feeling, control vs collapse. The cinematography creates a mood that often says more than the dialogue. It’s a proper feast for fans of beautiful, thoughtful framing.

Final Thoughts: One for the Patient Viewers

This isn’t a film that hands you answers. It asks you to sit with discomfort, to watch grief unfold slowly, and to appreciate connection in the smallest gestures. It’s gentle, honest, and visually elegant - but not without flaws. The pacing will test some people, and the story occasionally drifts without direction. That said, for a micro-budget student production, it’s incredibly polished and emotionally mature. Max Morgan is clearly one to watch.

Verdict

Breakwater won’t be for everyone - it’s slow, sparse, and emotionally quiet. But if you like introspective character dramas with gorgeous visuals and tender performances, it’s worth your time.

⭐⭐⭐

World Premiere at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival 23rd - 24th June 2025.

FILM DETAILS

• World Premiere: 23rd June 2025

• TL;DR: A relationship is formed between a young Oxford student called Otto and an older man who lives on the coast called John. The film tracks that relationship from first encounter to friendship, to romance, to something darker.

• Director: Max Morgan

• Cast: Shaun Paul McGrath, Daniel McNamee, Agnes Halladay

• Genres: Drama

• Run time: 91 Minutes

• Cert: -