Back to Fucking Cambridge (1987) User Reviews

Heart-rending tragedy

[andy_g32 · 25 August 2000]

I greatly enjoyed this picture, providing as it does a heart-rending vignette of four people seeking to return to a happier life that is forever tantalisingly out of reach. Some of the camera work is stunning, particularly the dark, looming scenes within "Piss Alley" as Duncan and Brad quarrel over the affections of the physically well-rounded, although somewhat irritating, Helen.

I disagree with the assessment of the acting as "wooden" - I prefer to see it as a reflection of the emotional insecurities that such an environment inevitably breeds.

I also feel that the minor sub-plot involving Andy and Matt's relationship remains ambiguous. The somewhat graphic scenes referred to in the title appear to be played out solely within the imagination of Duncan, as he struggles to come to terms with his own feelings for his two college chums. The "perplexing camera angles" have been carefully chosen to represent the confusion within his mind as he views Matt, a model of sporting perfection, and Andy, one of the most incisive minds of the time. Duncan aspires to reach these same unattainable heights, but has forever fallen short and so harbours a mixture of hero-worship and uncontrollable desire. However, his coprophilic obsessions prevent them truly becoming close. In the latter parts of the film, he is reduced to clinging to Sarah for the affection he craves, as her medical training allows her to overcome the repulsion she feels for him.

Overall, this film is a poignant combination of tragedy (Duncan's struggle for acceptance in a world which cannot condone those like him) and comedy (the drunken antics of the "Monster" - I particularly enjoyed his seduction of the emotionless American). I would heartily recommend it.

Odd film, bit like the place

[dunc-16 · 20 August 2000]

The film focuses on a group of graduates from Cambridge University who go back to their college to visit a friend, Matt, who has stayed on there.

There are parallels with Peter's Friends here - for example, the Cambridge theme, and the homosexuality of two of the main characters, Matt and Andy, and the awkwardness they feel as they see each other for the first time since the breakup of their relationship.

The title is unnecessarily coarse, referring to the 'activities' of Matt and Andy, but also perhaps hinting at the reluctance of Andy to revisit the place he has such mixed feelings about. The attempts to capture the emotion between the two are not particularly successful unfortunately, with rather wooden acting and perplexing camera angles.

The rest of the film is more lighthearted, with the other main characters - Duncan and Brad - adding a great deal of humour to proceedings as they re-frequent their old college bar and drink heavily. Matt, too, raises a smile as his old drunken alter-ego "Monster" surfaces and starts to perform minor acts of vandalism, including the animalistic marking of his territory with urination in some particularly novel places.

Overall, an interesting low budget film, with some nice shots of the Cambridge colleges.