Morvern Callar is a girl. Her boyfriend has committed suicide on the eve of Christmas and left on his computer a message to Morvern and a completed novel with instructions for sending it to publishing houses to try and get it bought. She does this for him, but with a slightly amoral touch..

It is unclear how Morvern is dealing with her boyfriends death. She doesn't call the authorities, she doesn't even 'deal' with the body for at least a couple of days. Is she in shock? Is she unable to deal with this happening, or was it inevitable? We really don't know enough to judge. She takes his money (on his say-so) and takes a friend away to Spain for a break and has her own journey into detachment in the process.

'Morvern Callar', starring Nottingham born actress Samantha Morton in the title role, was a 1995 novel by Alan Warner. Esoteric, poetic and dreamlike, these qualities transmute successfully into the film. I haven't seen director Lynne Ramsey's previous effort 'Ratcatcher' but Morvern Callar, despite being greatly flawed, hints that it is worth a view.

The beginning is slow and unsure, although faithful to the novel. The tone is poetic rather than narrative and if you're not receptive to that tactic as a viewer then avoid this film. Personally speaking, I like a bit of a vivid dream feel to my movies, so that was right up my alley.

The first major scene of any aesthetic gravitas is the first party
scene, where Morvern and her fun-loving friend Lanna (played by Kathleen McDermott, who apparently played a stripper in Boon in 1986 but must do pretty well for her age 'cause she looks no more than mid-twenties here) end up getting trashed and getting off with some cheeky boys. There is a wonderous scene in this section involving a boat and Morvern in a black dress that is without dialogue but manifests incredible tension. The psychology of the boatman is revealed via the way he shines his torch towards the vulnerable Morvern.

There are a miasma of little touches that linger in the mind after viewing. The dog on the pool table, the vacant woman in the toilets in the hotel in Spain, Morvern sitting on the corner of the bed of the man whose Mother's just passed away, the rush experienced by Lanna as she stumbles upon carnival time in a little Spanish town whilst loved up. The intense (Aphex Twin?) headcrushing music as she loses herself in a nightclub. The masterful use of Lee Hazlewood's 'Some Velvet Morning' as Morvern turns up for work at the supermarket for the first time after her boyfriend's death. Oh, and the little bits of Boards of Canada and Can on the soundtrack are endearing as well!

All in all, a diversion rather than a classic, but worth a watch if you think you might like it.