What you need to know about A Lot of Nothing
(From left) Y’lan Noel, Cleopatra Coleman, Justin Hartley, Lex Scott Davis and Shamier Anderson in A Lot Of Nothing. Image: Mo McRae
A Lot of Nothing – actor-turned-filmmaker Mo McRae’s exploration of what people do in extreme moments of conflict – had its world premiere at SXSW Film Festival on March 13 as part of the Narrative Feature competition. Originally existing as a 17-minute single-take short film, the co-production between Anonymous Content, Scalable Content, Secret Society Films and Traction was developed into a full-length thriller when executive producer and fellow actor David Oyelowo became enamoured with how many themes McRae attempts to tackle in his story about a couple with very different ideas on confronting their police officer neighbour, who has just shot someone.
Here, we have what you need to know about McRae’s feature directorial debut, co-written with Sarah Kelly Kaplan.
WHO IS IN A LOT OF NOTHING
Portraying Vanessa, a wife who takes matters into her own hands, is actress Cleopatra Coleman, who has featured in a heap of iconic Australian television series, such as Blue Heelers, Neighbours and Wicked Science, and was most recently seen in award-winning Star Original miniseries Dopesick.
Y’lan Noel, who you may recognise from The First Purge, plays Vanessa’s husband. James is a mostly level-headed lawyer, but he has his secrets.
Lex Scott Davis, who also starred in The First Purge and portrayed Toni Braxton in TV movie Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, is Candy, Vanessa and James’ pregnant sister-in-law.
James’ brother Jamal is played by Shamier Anderson, who we’ll see in next year’s John Wick: Chapter 4.
Justin Hartley steps into the shoes of racist cop Brian, and is best known for his roles in television series Smallville and This Is Us.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
A Lot of Nothing follows James and Vanessa, who are a textbook married couple on the surface; both are successful, sexy and highly intelligent. But their lives take a turn when they confront their crooked neighbour cop, seeking justice for his shooting of a kid. What begins as a reaction to watching an evening news story devolves in a comedy of errors that spirals out of control as everyone confronts hard truths.
WHY IT’S MAKING WAVES AT SXSW
A Lot of Nothing made waves at SXSW Film Festival for McRae’s approach to and subversion of tough topics. It’s an exciting leap for the director’s career, built on acting roles in well-known television series such as Sons of Anarchy, Empire and The Flight Attendant, among others. The buzz surrounding this film has everything to do with its use of satire (effective or not) to navigate sensitive political undertones, and challenges audiences with its message, inviting accessible yet unorthodox conversations about racism, sexism and vigilantism.
SHOULD YOU SEE IT?
Aside from the impressive 19-minute single-take opening shot, A Lot of Nothing also offers exploration of important topics through its tense and confronting conversations. However, after a compelling opening hour, the film quickly falls into a melodramatic hole it can’t escape, servicing random sub-plots that lead nowhere or fail to add anything of value. This muddled tonal shift ultimately undoes the good work before it, leaving confusion in the final product. While its subject matter is incredibly important, the film falls short of making the impact it set out to make.