Departure Review – An airport encounter sparks love lost and found in a fog of hookups and hangovers | film

DDo you believe in life after love? So goes Cher’s dance anthem, an eternal quandary also investigated through Neil Ealy and Lloyd Eyre Morgan’s funny and poignant drama. In addition to co-writing and directing, Eyer Morgan stars as Benjy, a lonely young man in his 30s who longs for real connection, but is let down by a series of bad boyfriends. After his recent breakup with Jake (David Tag), a senior personal trainer with a closeted double life, Benjy descends into a downward spiral of drink, drugs and casual hookups – cheap highs to numb the pain. Spending a weekend in Amsterdam – the city he and Jake went to during their secret relationship – opens up more old wounds.

Despite its struggle with heavy issues like body image, family rejection, and toxic masculinity, “The Departed” never veers into sentimental sentiment, opting instead for black comedy and a poppy visual style. Through dynamic, elliptical editing, Benjy’s self-destructive spiral and his memories of Jake dissolve into a non-linear narrative that reflects the startling effects of a broken heart. Eyre-Morgan’s strong chemistry with Tag overpowers the lead role, and most of the film is driven by Benji’s internal monologue, delivered with self-deprecating humor and brutal honesty.

Meanwhile, the reliance on voiceover as a storytelling device sometimes causes momentum to falter, especially during emotional scenes. Instead of letting the visuals do the talking, the voiceover steps in to express the characters’ emotions, and the need to present multiple backstories through flashbacks veers into over-exposition. However, “Departure” remains a very thoughtful exploration of love and identity, and an excellent showcase of North’s film talent.