Buttercup Bill

Secret childhood games cast a long shadow in this moody but underplotted psychological drama with a dash of New Orleans heat. The sudden death of Flora, a childhood neighbour and playmate, brings twentysomething Pernilla (Remy Bennett) to the funeral. Another friend, Patrick (Evan Louison), lynchpin of the trio, is notably absent. Sinister flashes of a cowboy-hatted man and hints of dark goings-on set the story in motion as Pernilla heads off to track down Patrick, finding him a wastrel in rural Louisiana, where their shared history distils into edgy sexual tension. At this stage you might be moderately intrigued, but not so much that you’ll stand for an hour of simmering narrative inactivity. This debut feature blows its chances by keeping us waiting way too long for revelations. A shame really, since actors Louison and Bennett (who also co-writes and co-directs) have an off-kilter presence that draws you in, the fashion mag cinematography looks the part and there’s a vintage blues soundtrack. Ultimately, though, this is all dressed up and going nowhere… slowly.