The story of the film is told primarily through voiceover from the titular character Jane Grey, an aspiring actress living in London struggling to find meaning in her life again. Played by the up and coming Natasha Bain, she imbues Grey’s desire to rekindle her fractured relationship with her former flame, Duncan, with some genuine emotion.
I initially expected the film to be some modern interpretation of the Bridget Jones and Jane Austen works as the first half, Jane delves deep into her time with Duncan in intimate detail. However, over the course of Grey's, she goes on to explore relationships with her culture, education, and even recontextualizes specific moments throughout history that raise intriguing themes. There’s a specific line she says on how meeting someone special in her life was comparable to witnessing a car accident that was really poignant.
To call the film a slow burn would be an understatement. Rajan takes his time in establishing Grey’s character and her life for an hour and a half. The film could have definitely benefited from more characters to enhance the viewing experience. As more out of focus shots became prevalent throughout the film, it became clear that we’re meant to watch events from her perspective. Jane’s trek through the Square Mile is a solo endeavor.
As the film reaches its climax, it began to get a tad melodramatic and not in a good way. I didn’t necessarily enjoy the last few minutes as I expected something slightly more grounded and realistic. The use of foreshadowing was entertaining and it- along with some choice monologues- make me want to revisit the film sometime in the future. If you enjoy deep and introspective character studies or just desperately need some longform ASMR, give this one a watch.
-Michael Omoruan