Directed by Tony Lawton and written by John Kolvenbach, Albert embarks on an odyssey, leaving home for his first semester at an elite college.  There, he must navigate through his poverty and shame, his talent and ambition, his gambling-addicted father, and falling in love with a rich girl. Starring: Trevor William Fayle, Kate Hampton, Campbell O’Hare and Ian Merrill Peakes.

One of the biggest difficulties filmmakers can face when making small budget independent dramas is building sincerity and real emotion but Tony Lawton and John Kolvenbach do a wonderful job. The first strong choice was introducing the film using Nico’s The Fairest of the Seasons, which will strike a deep chord with any Wes Anderson fan. It’s a great hint of what you’re in for with Goldfish, foreshadowing its understated and heartfelt style with an edge of quirkiness.

One of the most captivating elements from Goldfish is the dialogue, it’s written and delivered with such purpose and weight of the past. It feels very stage-like in its patter, it’s eloquent and descriptive, it’s never overly constructed or too casual, it sits nicely in-between. It’s one of several ways that Tony Lawton evokes old Hollywood, that classic charm and elegant simplicity. Another is the score which truly leans into that tone, almost throwing so far back as the silent era, and it’s a great addition which goes well with the choice of black and white.

It’s a choice that’s made by a lot of filmmakers, but it doesn’t necessarily work every time, it can often feel heavy handed or manipulative but here, it feels really well suited to the story. It pairs with the Goldfish’s subtle nature, matching the film’s quietly moving tone. It goes back again to that purposeful simplicity, Lawton uses a lot of still shots with a few varied distances and angles, which are then edited together really well to accent the emotion. There is also a little bit of movement brought through in key moments which was another nice choice to hold onto an organic feel and aid the flow of the film.

Using that understated style is an interesting choice to then match with the performances because the story does still have many moments of anger, frustration and heightened emotions. Lawton and Kolvenbach are asking a fair amount of their actors to deliver that level of emotion while never being explosive, keeping things contained and thankfully Goldfish is excellently casted to do exactly that. The entire ensemble does a terrific job of adding personality and conflict in a refined way. Their confrontations are debate like, structured to push one another without becoming loud or brash, instead they’re reasoned and articulate.

Perhaps the best example of that is the superb lead performance from Trevor William Fayle. Fayle does a brilliant job of creating a unique character in Albert, he has a charming personality that’s filled with honesty and insecurity. His sensitive yet resilient nature is engaging to watch, Fayle gives a touching and endearing portrayal that captures Albert’s internal conflicts in a strong and mature yet youthful manner. He’s paired wonderfully with Ian Merrill Peakes, who as a seasoned theatre actor brings that quality to the film strongly, delivering the dialogue with a compelling theatricality and depth. Peakes does a great job of capturing his character’s pride, adrift quality and lack of self-control.

The cast is then filled out with Kate Hampton and Campbell O’Hare who make for a surprisingly fun mother-daughter duo. Not only does O’Hare have great chemistry with Fayle’s albert, but she also has a really entertaining connection with Hampton. The two create a sharp-edged relationship, they have a fun banter and aggression with an undercurrent of love for one another. Whereas O’Hare and Fayle have something much more gentle and compassionate which is lovely and sweet.

Goldfish is a quietly moving, highly enjoyable and understated drama. It takes from both old school Hollywood and independent film, to capture simple, wholesome, engaging qualities which create a wonderful amount of personality. The choices in both the writing and direction are clever and refined. The dialogue certainly feels like something pulled from the stage in the best of ways, it’s purposeful and expressive. It’s delivered beautifully by this quadruple of actors who each have a lot to bring to the table, particularly Trevor William Fayle who drives the heart of the film with his fantastic lead performance. There’s a certain innocence and vulnerability to the tone which draws you in then they layer the story as it develops with emotion, conflict and a good sense of humour.