Departures is about as British as it gets. Its two romantic leads are proud northerners, it’s laced with the dry British humour we’re known for, and it feels inspired by the likes of The Inbetweeners. Yet it also tells a story that wholly transcends this small island, and is the standout film at this year’s BFI Flare festival as a result.
The film is co-written, co-directed, and stars Lloyd Eyre-Morgan as Benji, a Mancunian door-to-door salesman who stumbles upon Jake (David Tag) in a departure lounge. While Benji is out and proud, Jake is deeply closeted – and as we learn, brimming with deep-rooted feelings of self-hatred around his sexuality. Departures then charts their often toxic romance as Jake treats Benji like a plaything, and the long healing process Benji undergoes to get over it.
What stands out most about Departures is how eclectic and brimming with flair it is. From the lively voiceover (which, as mentioned, feels reminiscent of Will in The Inbetweeners) to the occasional split-screen POV shot or cartoons cropping up on screen, there’s so much here that feels wacky, experimental, and in the spirit of telling a fairly bleak story in an engaging and ultimately optimistic way. It means that despite the film’s occasionally hard-to-watch moments and emotional backbone, it’s something you’ll absolutely want to revisit.
That’s in no small part thanks to the stellar work of Eyre-Morgan, whose fingerprints are over practically every element of Departures. His performance is so honest and convincing – I refuse to believe there isn’t an element of autobiography here – and the entire thing has such a unique directing style alongside his co-director Neil Ely. I already can’t wait to see more from Eyre-Morgan, because this is a film that’s confident, willing to get dark, but incredulously, still very easy to watch.
Departures particularly toes the line between spritely love story and Shane Meadows-style drama with the character of Jake, Benji’s confused and hugely complex love interest. The performance from David Tag is equally impressive: he imbues Jake with a seething rage and tension; a man completely at odds with his own masculinity with so much emotional baggage.
We learn more about his past in some nicely nostalgic flashback sequences, which provide enough context to show that he’s not a clear-cut villain. Departures isn’t as neat with its moral compass, and as much as we can loathe Jake for the way he treats Benji and manipulates those around him, it clearly all comes from a place of rampant insecurity and misery. He’s a more complex character than Benji that spans the gamut of masculinities and emotions more broadly, and is the perfect foil to Benji’s spritely outlook.
The result of this unique direction and stellar character work is a film that is both tough to watch but also endearingly sweet and funny, complex in its character presentation but also something that wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Departures is one of the best British romance films I’ve seen in years, and one that I’ll be recommending for years to come.
★★★★
Departures screens at the BFI Flare Festival on March 23, 29 and 30, 2025. Tickets are available here.
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