Contributions from Patrick Sproull | Little White Lies

Contributor Patrick Sproull

Three people seated at a dining table, enjoying a meal and drinks together in a warm, cosy interior setting.
Review

The Front Room review – a strangely scatalogical chamber piece

by Patrick Sproull

The­atre leg­end Kathryn Hunter camps it up as a sin­is­ter old bid­dy ter­ror­is­ing her daugh­ter-in-law Brandy Nor­wood in the hor­ror debut from Max and Sam Eggers.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A black and white portrait of a man with short dark hair, wearing a collared shirt, looking to the side and smiling.
Review

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed review – gossipy, entertaining look at a mythological man

by Patrick Sproull

Stephen Kijak speaks to Rock Hud­son’s friends and lovers to build a lov­ing – but per­haps a lit­tle one-note – por­trait of a Hol­ly­wood star.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two men in ornate, brocade-patterned clothing sitting on a lavish, decadent set with plush fabrics and ornate furnishings.
Review

Red, White & Royal Blue review – Uma Thurman steals the show

by Patrick Sproull

A best­selling queer romance nov­el about a clan­des­tine rela­tion­ship between a British prince and the US pres­i­den­t’s son gets a big screen makeover care of Matthew López, with twee but charm­ing results.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A smiling person wearing a sinister-looking teddy bear mask, with a dark and eerie lighting creating a disturbing atmosphere.
Review

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood And Honey

by Patrick Sproull

Bar­rel-scrap­ing slash­er twad­dle which rins­es a copy­right loop­hole to des­e­crate the mem­o­ry of AA Milne’s beloved fur­ry friends.

1
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
Couple embracing in a wooded area, the woman wearing a cream lace dress and the man wearing a blue jumper.
Review

Lady Chatterley’s Lover

by Patrick Sproull

A lone­ly new­ly­wed embarks on a clan­des­tine affair with her game­keep­er in Lau­re de Clermont-Tonnerre’s adap­ta­tion of the clas­sic DH Lawrence novel.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two shirtless men in an arid, dusty setting, one holding a bottle.
In Praise Of

Homoeroticism and sexual repression in Wake in Fright

by Patrick Sproull

Ted Kotcheff’s vis­cer­al, queer-cod­ed descent into one man’s per­son­al hell refus­es to adhere to expectations.
A smiling woman with curly blonde hair wearing a black jacket and a name badge that says "Pick a Time" standing in an indoor setting.
In Praise Of

Twenty years on, Election feels more relevant than ever

by Patrick Sproull

Tra­cy Flick’s almost thwart­ed can­di­da­cy is an eerie presage of our cur­rent polit­i­cal climate.
Two people, a woman in a yellow cardigan and a man in a striped t-shirt, standing and talking outdoors.
Review

Isn’t It Romantic

by Patrick Sproull

Rebel Wil­son stars in a fun meta rom-com that attempts to have its cake and eat it.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Middle-aged woman with short blonde hair wearing a black dress, holding a bouquet of red roses.

With The Wife, Glenn Close lays the ghost of Alex Forrest to rest

by Patrick Sproull

Her lat­est com­pelling por­trait of female rage is a per­fect rejoin­der to her icon­ic role in Fatal Attraction.
Two adults, one man and one woman, looking at each other with serious expressions.
Review

Crazy Rich Asians

by Patrick Sproull

Jon M Chu’s sparkling Sin­ga­pore-set roman­tic com­e­dy is a water­shed moment for diver­si­ty in main­stream cinema.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A man with greying hair embracing a young woman wearing an orange scarf, in an intimate embrace.
In Praise Of

How The Fifth Element set the tone for modern blockbusters

by Patrick Sproull

Twen­ty years on, Luc Besson’s neon-hued space opera has lost none of its off-kil­ter charm.