Meantime: The “wild inspiration” for the Safdie brothers
The Safdie brothers, Josh and Benny, have evolved over the years from the underbelly of indie filmmaking to establish themselves as powerhouses in the cinematic world. Their journey began with raw, super indie ventures, eventually leading to their award-winning feature, Daddy Longlegs. As their prowess grew, so did their collaborations.
The film Good Time, where they teamed up with the enigmatic Robert Pattinson, acted as a pivotal turning point, skyrocketing their reputation to such heights that they subsequently helmed the sprawling, epic, multi-million dollar A24 masterpiece, Uncut Gems in 2019, featuring the dynamic Adam Sandler.
The brothers are not just skilled filmmakers; they’re passionate cinephiles. Their deep-seated love for cinema becomes evident when one delves into their multiple interviews, shedding light on their cinematic inspirations and affinities and cementing their status as profoundly literate in the art form. In a conversation with Criterion for their Closet Picks segment, the brothers revealed a film that had a profound influence on their craft.
While discussing the impactful films in their lives, Josh Safdie reminisced about Meantime, bringing up a specific moment. “There’s a scene towards the end of the movie that remains a wild inspiration to us at all times,” he shared, showcasing the profound impact the film has had on their storytelling sensibilities. The conversation took a more personal turn when Josh recounted a memorable interaction with Meantime actor Tim Roth during the Venice Film Festival.
Reminiscing with his brother, Josh recollected, “Remember when we kind of accosted him? I said to him, ‘Made in Britain changed my life.’ He said, ‘Yeah, me too’.” He then explained how Benny, keen to showcase their passion for the actor’s work, chimed in, declaring: “‘But Meantime is really it.'”
For those unfamiliar, Made in Britain is a compelling drama featuring a young Tim Roth, capturing the essence of British youth in the ’80s. Directed by acclaimed British filmmaker Alan Clarke, it followed Roth as a racist sixteen-year-old skinhead.
However, it was Meantime that took centre stage in the Safdie brothers’ admiration. Grounded in realism, this movie paints a bleak picture of unemployment in East London during the early ’80s. Composed of fragmented and poetic episodes, Mike Leigh’s 1983 film details the working-class Pollock family and presents a poignant yet bleak portrait of a struggle to maintain sanity, employment and health in Thatcher-era Britain.
With its character-driven narrative and raw portrayal of life, it’s not hard to see the impact it had on the Safdie brothers’ own storytelling style. One also can’t help but ponder the title Meantime and its potential influence on the Safdies’ own vivid character-driven odyssey: Good Time, and question whether the name of their breakout mainstream film is a nod to this profound influence.
