Mr In-Between

Colour, 35mm
United Kingdom, 2001, 97 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

With the psycho-thriller Mr In-Between, a fascinating criminal has entered the film world’s gallery of hired assassins. Jon Benett is an inconspicuous man suffering from an obsession with cleanliness. His cold face, however, hides a beast in human form who tortures and murders at the behest of his gangster boss. He performs like a machine, devoid of emotion, with great care and cool professionalism. An encounter with his former schoolmate Andy and his wife Cathy surprisingly throws him off course. Jon suddenly discovers feelings he didn’t know he had and is forced to resolve a vital dilemma. His unconditional subordination to his “fatherly” boss begins to show fine cracks. The film’s debuting director, well-known cameraman Paul Sarossy, acknowledges his many years’ collaboration with Atom Egoyan for this film. Sarossy adapted the novel of the same name by Neil Cross as a dark existential study with an accent on atmosphere and the bizarre disposition of some of the characters. He doesn’t avoid cruel scenes but captures them in stylised cliché. He also resolutely refuses to fulfil audience expectations. The lead in the film, Andrew Howard, won Best Actor at the 2001 Tokyo IFF.

About the director

Paul Sarossy (b. 1963, Barrie, Ontario, Canada) studied film at York University in Toronto and established himself as a director of photography, particularly thanks to his cooperation with Atom Egoyan with whom he made his latest film Ararat (2002), and also films such as Exotica (1994), The Sweet Hereafter (1997) and Felicia’s Journey (1999), for which he received the Canadian Genie annual prize. He has also worked with other well-known directors: Paul Schrader (1997, Affliction), Denys Arcand (1993, Amour et restes humains) and Norman Jewison (Picture Windows – TV series). As a cameraman he has worked on over thirty films. As a director he debuted with Mr In-Between (2001). Paul Sarossy currently lives in London but also works overseas.