makeup movie review

At first, the unique drama "Make Up" feels almost like a variation on Andrea Arnold 's " Fish Tank " or a Ken Loach kitchen sink drama, but there's more dread in the air than is typical for a film like this. Filmmaker Claire Oakley imbues her story of discovery with a sense of danger that's palpable, and sometimes even verges into the surreal or the horrific. This unique storytelling approach along with a committed, fantastic performance from Molly Windsor elevates the relatively generic story here into something unexpected, even if it sometimes feels like the emotions of the piece are sometimes more muted than they needed to be.

Ruth (Windsor) arrives at a remote Cornwall vacation community in the middle of the night. It's where her longtime boyfriend Tom ( Joseph Quinn ) works for the season, but she's been unable to join him in the past. She's 18 and they've been together for three years. It's clearly a first love, and there's an aspect of "Make Up" that's about that moment when we realize our first relationship probably won't be our last relationship. Tom can be a little controlling and suspicious, and Ruth starts to blossom away from home for the first time, but not because of her boyfriend. She meets a vibrant personality named Jade ( Stefanie Martini ), who does her nails and makes wigs in her free time. Oakley never draws a straight line between artifice and self-awakening but the visual motif of external appearance masking inner turmoil is strong without being overstated.

Oakley has a number of recurring images that increase tension in a story that may have had none in a different filmmaker's hands. The sea is portrayed as something deadly and dangerous; other units are being fumigated and have creepy plastic sheeting around them; noises in the middle of the night add tension. There's a vague sense of danger everywhere in Ruth's world, but Oakley makes it feel organic instead of forced. There's a sense that nothing makes sense when you're young and figuring out who you are. The best parts of "Make Up" deftly capture that period of life.

It helps a great deal that Molly Windsor is more than up to the challenge. This movie falls apart with a less committed, genuine performance at its center. She doesn't strike a false note and doesn't lean into potential melodrama in the second half. It's a breakthrough performance that's forced to anchor the entire film—Oakley's decision to keep us forced only to Ruth's POV was a smart one both in how much trust it places in her leading lady and how it adds to the tension.

I'm not fully convinced about where "Make Up" lands. I like that Oakley avoids pat resolutions and an obvious melodramatic climax but the final fifteen minutes here feel extremely rushed. A movie that's been deliberate hurtles toward its ending, and I wanted it to breathe as much in its final act as the first hour. However, this is still an accomplished piece of work and a pronouncement of a great young actress. 

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

• Molly Windsor as Ruth
• Joseph Quinn as Tom
• Stefanie Martini as Jade
• Theo Barklem-Biggs as Kai
• Lisa Palfrey as Shirley
• Elodie Wilton as Kippa
• Maureen Wild as April
• Derek Frood as Stephen
• Ben Salisbury
• Claire Oakley

Cinematographer

• Sacha Szwarc

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‘make up’: film review.

Claire Oakley's feature debut 'Make Up' explores a teenager's emerging sexuality through the lens of the psychological thriller.

By John DeFore

John DeFore

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First love sours almost imperceptibly in Make Up , the assured feature debut of Claire Oakley, in which an off-season beach destination is just quiet enough to force an 18 year-old to grapple with questions she doesn’t know she needs to ask. Atmosphere plays a large role here, opening up thriller-ish possibilities without disturbing the realism of a setting where teens in the service industry earn a living and don’t think much about the future. Benefitting from an unassuming but dead-on performance by lead Molly Windsor, the picture may frustrate those expecting a true horror film, but earns Oakley a place alongside other young women (like Amy Seimetz and Sophia Takal) currently exploring the usefulness of genre conventions in feminist storytelling.

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Windsor plays Ruth, an underconfident girl who has just arrived at a seaside RV park to take a seasonal job. Her boyfriend Tom (Joseph Quinn) has worked here each of the past three years, repairing the rental vans tourists have vacated, and she’s finally joining him for a winter.

Release date: Nov 13, 2020

They’re a cute couple, making each other laugh with ease, but settling into a real domestic, workaday routine isn’t the paid vacation Ruth may have expected. They spend their days apart, doing numbing chores with few coworkers to talk to, then come home to eat unadorned spaghetti and watch TV. (Tom eats his noodles between two slices of bread, an unbeatable all-carbs metaphor for monotony.)

On one of her first days alone in their trailer, Ruth notices a kiss-shaped imprint of lipstick on a bedroom mirror, then finds long red hairs all over one of Tom’s shirts. She says nothing, even after she glimpses a redhead passing between trailers nearby. Is Tom sneaking around with someone else while he’s supposed to be running errands? And with no redheads on the resort’s small staff, who is this woman?

A possibility arrives in the person of Jade (Stefanie Martini, who played Helen Mirren’s character in a Prime Suspect prequel). A free spirit who’s soon sharing joints and drinks while encouraging Ruth to loosen up, Jade doesn’t have red hair. But a shelf full of wigs, which she makes to sell to the elderly, contains one that perfectly matches the strands Ruth found. And when Tom learns the two have been hanging out, he warns Ruth without elaboration that Jade has a reputation as bad news.

As Oakley follows Ruth through the coming days, letting small actions and Windsor’s eyes do most of the talking, she and DP Nick Cooke make subtle use of the setting. Air thick with sea spray creates haloes around overhead lamps at night; plastic sheeting around RVs, which are sealed up for fumigation, enhances the ghost-town mood. The vague otherworldliness turns any clue Ruth sees, or thinks she sees, into something a bit more menacing.

Fairly early on there are hints that, despite having been in a physical relationship for three years, Ruth is intimidated by sex. The unexpected sounds of someone making out in a public shower are unsettling enough to her they suggest the film may be moving in a violent direction; the erotic associations of a blazing-red manicure are similarly tied to hints of physical danger. While Windsor skillfully projects pre-adult sexual confusion, Oakley teases with De Palma-like suggestions of where all this is going. Here, though, blood-red clues point not to a climactic gory resolution but to a deepening of the film’s more universal human mysteries.

Production companies: Quiddity Films, IFeatures Distributor: Mutiny Pictures Cast: Molly Windsor, Joseph Quinn, Stefanie Martini, Theo Barklem-Biggs, Lisa Palfey Director-Screenwriter: Claire Oakley Producer: Emily Morgan Director of photography: Nick Cooke Production designer: Sofia Stocco Costume designer: Holly Smart Editor: Sacha Szwarc Composer: Ben Salisbury Casting director: Olivia Scott-Webb

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‘Make Up’ Review: Self-Discovery, an Adolescent Horror

Claire Oakley demonstrates admirable control in her first feature film, a psychological coming-of-age drama.

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By Teo Bugbee

Coming-of-age dramas rarely lack for moody characters, but in the British film “Make Up,” anxiety, doom and suspense seem to blanket the entire environment. It’s a slight film, not even 90 minutes, but the atmosphere is dense.

The story follows Ruth (Molly Windsor), a teenager who has come to join her boyfriend, Tom (Joseph Quinn), at his job in a caravan community by the seaside. In the cold, foggy dunes, the wind howls and foxes shriek, but Ruth and Tom seem immune to the gloom, cocooned as they are in each other’s arms. It’s only when Ruth finds strands of long red hair on Tom’s clothes that their bubble starts to burst.

Ruth’s suspicion spikes, and the landscape around her begins to appear malevolent, fated to swallow her up. Her one comfort comes in the company of a new co-worker, Jade (Stefanie Martini), a pretty girl with a bad reputation who beckons with the promise of ease and warmth.

The writer and director Claire Oakley demonstrates an admirable control of tone for her first feature film, giving her coming-of-age story the feel of a horror film. The sound design plays a huge part in maintaining the ominous overtones, with an ambient score that surges as Ruth’s anxiety mounts. Cool grays and blues blanch the palette, the performances are subdued and the camera watches the characters from afar, at a remove from Ruth’s overheated imagination.

The distance that Oakley maintains keeps the danger present. There is always a sense that there is room in the frame for a threat to materialize. It’s an intriguing interpretation of adolescent discovery, one that uses horror to suggest the dread that comes with finding a sense of self.

Make Up Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 26 minutes. In theaters and virtual cinemas . Please consult the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before watching movies inside theaters.

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Review: A searching teen gets under the concealer in ‘Make Up’

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The Los Angeles Times is committed to reviewing new theatrical film releases during the COVID-19 pandemic . Because moviegoing carries inherent risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by the CDC and local health officials. We will continue to note the various ways readers can see each new film, including drive-in theaters in the Southland and VOD/streaming options when available.

In the moody British indie “Make Up,” a teen trying to figure out whether her boyfriend is cheating makes a life-changing discovery. It’s an insightful, deeply felt film that lets us in on a personal evolution.

Ruth ( Molly Windsor ) comes to join longtime beau Tom (Joseph Quinn) at the Cornwall seaside resort where he works winters. Almost immediately, she finds evidence of what might be an affair. As she becomes preoccupied with finding the truth, somewhat disoriented and far from home, she meets the community’s resident outsider: devil-may-care knockout Jade ( Stefanie Martini ). Ruth has some fears to face and some growing up to do, and she may be forced to do both in short order.

“Make Up” is a richly realized coming-of-age drama that for some reason is being billed in its promotional materials as a “thriller.” I can’t imagine why. There’s a mystery that drives much of the action, but the point seems to be in part that that mystery ultimately doesn’t matter. It’s the deeper discoveries about herself that usher Ruth to a new place, not some conspiracy or ghost story or whatever.

It’s an extremely promising feature debut by writer-director Claire Oakley . She begins by dropping us into the awkward discomfort Ruth feels on arriving at this remote, largely shut-down mini town. Ruth is 18 and has been with Tom for three years, but she clearly hasn’t grown into herself. When offered a makeover, she says something like, “When I put on makeup, I look like a kid wearing makeup.”

Oakley establishes a strong sense of place: We feel the temperature, the wind, the rain when it comes. That ocean they swim in looks cold. Without showy movie magic, she shares the experience of being there with Ruth in this removed, “other” location; it’s the kind of distance from the things you know that makes it feel like anything can happen, especially for a teen. We feel how unmoored Ruth is when the possibility of Tom’s cheating arises. We feel the magnetic draw of Jade: a few years older, confident, independent, gorgeous. Jade (a memorable performance by Martini) is the kind of ballsy outsider who probably chose her own name and makes it work for her. Windsor’s Ruth vividly changes before our eyes. Reactant, catalyst: All the ingredients are there for personal transformation.

Oakley pulls a few tricks too. As Ruth obsessively hunts a red-haired woman, the tall grass by the water takes on a reddish hue. Ruth’s eyes can’t stop finding the red streaks in Jade’s hair. The filmmaker yanks us out of one particularly interesting moment; next, we see Ruth’s behavior is changed. It takes a while for us to be reminded of that incident and learn what struck the flint.

“Make Up” feels like a real journey of discovery as Ruth goes from one view of the world to an obsessive quest that might derail that view to an unexpected destination. It’s not a sense of danger or a ticking clock that makes the film even vaguely fit the “thriller” description; it’s the slow rollercoaster rise and sudden plunge of Ruth’s understanding of herself.

Rated: Unrated Running time: 1 hour, 26 minutes Playing: At Virtual Cinemas on Nov. 13 and at the Vista 15 (Vista Village), Del Mar 11 (Del Mar), La Costa Town Square 8 (La Costa) and Westlake Village 8 (Westlake Village) on Nov. 13.

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Make Up is a creepy, enthralling, atmospheric coming of age thriller

Yes, you read that right. Thriller.

Make Up has, the debut feature film from Claire Oakley, what seems on the surface to be, a simple enough premise. Teenager Ruth (Molly Windsor) travels to a seaside holiday park to stay with her boyfriend. But an unsettling discovery that lures her into a spiral of obsession, all set against the eerie backdrop of a mostly abandoned caravan park on the windswept coast of Cornwall.

It is the perfect setting for Make Up which is both a creepy thriller and coming of age story. These two seemingly disparate genres are, as Oakley presents them, not a fusion but rather two sides of the same coin.

The discovery that Ruth makes is several strands of red hair stuck to her boyfriend's clothes. But the real discovery is something far more sinister, a reckoning is coming and Ruth is powerless to stop it.

Of course, we know that her sexual awakening is far from wicked, it's just growing up, it's just understanding oneself. But in the microscopic community Ruth finds herself, it is something with which she struggles to reconcile.

Along comes Jade, slightly older and slightly wiser. Wise enough to offer sage advice on make-up: "It's not about how it looks, it's about how it makes you feel." Oakley winds these metaphors easily through the film in a way that's just shy of being heavy-handed.

It's the creepy ambience that pulls you up just when you think you know what you're watching. It makes you wonder what's going on, just as Ruth wonders what going on, what she's becoming.

Make Up is as much about desire in general as it is about Ruth's awareness of her own. A pointed moment we won't spoil spells it clearly for us: heterosexual male desire is celebrated, anything else is the stuff of secrets.

And then there's the sea — the violent, cleansing, healing sea. It is as dangerous as it is alluring, another wink from Oakley to the audience, and Ruth can't help but be drawn towards it, just as she can't help but be drawn towards Jade.

The girl with long red hair, who Ruth spies mysteriously disappearing around corners, is ghostlike and omnipresent as Ruth desperately tries to find her. There is a sense that she somehow will solve the mystery, that discovering who she is will put an end to the topsy-turveyness, the uncanniness of a holiday park without holiday goers.

So many coming of age stories, queer or otherwise, rely on melodrama to express the pain of the transformation into adulthood. Make Up delights in visceral, grotesque horror which somehow feels more real, more relatable.

Ruth straddles uncomfortably the line between girlhood and womanhood, between being defined and defining oneself. The red hair is a catalyst for the story that is Make Up : a haunted-house ride Ruth couldn't stop if she wanted to (which we don't think she does), and that's part of the beauty of it.

Make Up is out at Curzon cinemas and on Curzon VOD from July 31

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Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance journalist and film critic, and was previously Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. She loves Star Wars , coming-of-age stories, thrillers , and true crime. A born and raised New Yorker, she also loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.

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In Theaters and Digital

Makeup (2023) - movie review.

Rough and ready for play, Makeup explodes off the screen with a jangly attitude as two people, from completely different avenues in life, are brought together in unexpected ways.  The pace is quick and the atmosphere surrounding it absolutely bursts with flavor and fizz.

Written and produced by Hugo André & Will Masheter , alongside Lucas A. Ferrara, Makeup is a multi-award-winning comedy drama, which - having already received numerous accolades including: "Directorial Debut by a Young Filmmaker" at London International Film Festival (2021), Winner of "Best Film" at Paris International Film Awards (2021). In total, the film has won 15 awards, received 5 nominations and 2 honorable mentions - is now available to own and rent on digital download. The point is that Makeup is a fun film which you should seek out.

The film begins with the arrival of Sacha ( Hugo André ) as he is dropped off at the wrong location and must hoof it to his news digs in London.  He wants to be a food critic, but is shy about announcing it. Well, his whole nature is a shy one as he is seen apologizing for leaving a low-starred review to his uber driver moments after being dropped off in the middle of nowhere.

And then he meets the stockbroker who owns the house he is going to be renting from.  Dan ( Will Masheter ) is respected in his profession, and he is agreeable enough to Sacha, but he hides a desire from the rest of the world (who see him as an alpha male): Dan wants to dance.  We see snippets of their lives and, over the course of the movie, an unlikely friendship develops between the housemates.

Despite their differences, can Sacha and Dan become pillars of support in each other's lives?

The film, following the ebb and flow of an unexpected friendship, unfolds in wonderfully charming ways as Dan and Sacha discover that - by sharing their secrets with each other - they can really learn about life and about how to be the best possible person for each other.  Thematically, every moment works to create something unique as past moments are explored and revealed. 

Makeup does not disappoint as this character-driven comedy hits its stride early and never dips in offering quality moments where expectations are subverted and emotions highlighted.  Big steps forward in trust have small beginnings.  Makeup shows this time and time again and - from the acting to the music and the camera - everything melts together to form a moving experience for the audience in tune with its message about having faith in each other.

Arriving from Red Blazer Productions , in association with Executive Producer Lucas A. Ferrara, Makeup will be available to own and rent on digital download June 27th.

MPAA Rating: Unrated. Runtime: 90 mins Director : Hugo Andre Writer: Hugo Andre; Will Masheter Cast: Hugo Andre; Charlie Baker; Louis Circé Genre : Drama Tagline: It's a man's world, so let's paint it pink Memorable Movie Quote: " Uh, we don't need anymore food, thanks. But I will take another... two bottles. Thank you " Distributor: Red Blazer Productions Official Site: Release Date: June 27, 2023 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Synopsis : When two people are brought together from completely different walks of life, it can make for awkward circumstances, especially when they both have their secrets.

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Make Up Review

31 Jul 2020

You wait years for a Cornish-set quasi horror film to come along, then two come along at once (kind of). Following last year’s lo-fi surprise hit Bait , which spun drama from the tensions between locals and out-of-towners, Claire Oakley ’s Make Up conjures up a similar sense of unease in a completely different milieu. Set in an out-of-season caravan park, Oakley mixes coming-of-age drama, spooky surrealism and small-scale mystery into an unexpected voyage of self-realisation. Like its protagonist, it plays its cards close to its chest, throwing in red herrings and blind alleys, but creates a tangible sense of atmosphere and discomfort through clever filmmaking and a quietly absorbing lead performance by Molly Windsor.

A startlingly original debut.

Taciturn 18-year-old Ruth (Windsor) arrives at a Cornish caravan site in the dead of night looking for boyfriend-of-three-years Tom (Joseph Quinn). Early doors, Oakley deploys unsettling tactics — the sound of foxes rutting, a recurring image of a kite tethered to a pole, an empty amusement arcade that matches Blumhouse for dread — interspersed with sequences of Ruth and Tom getting reacquainted. What feels like it is going to be the plot kicks in when Ruth discovers red hairs on a jacket and begins to Jessica Fletcher her way around the site, asking questions in-between menial tasks. Her investigation brings her into the orbit of Jade (a vibrant Stefani Martini) who makes wigs out of human hair and introduces Ruth to make-up, spliffs and dancing while Tom becomes increasingly distant.

What happens next takes the film into a new zone of madness, with Ruth suffering increasingly what may or may not be hallucinations and the filmmaking taking a turn for the Expressionist, with everything becoming more dream-like and intense. It’s a slight story and leaves threads unresolved, but Oakley, along with cinematographer Nick Cooke, composer Ben Salisbury and sound designer Ania Przygoda, turns a campsite into a nightmare (fumigated caravans covered in polythene feel like crime scenes) as Ruth tries to come to terms with new desires and who she really is. The result drifts and ambles but remains a startlingly original debut.

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Movies | 09 07 2020

‘Make Up’ review: a masterful, unsettling and beautifully constructed gem

This coming-of-age psychological horror is all about inner turmoil, spliced with sudden jolts of sexual imagery

T his debut feature from writer-director Claire Oakley is a smart and startling hybrid of psychological horror and queer coming-of-age story. Set in a remote Cornish holiday park after the summer season bustle has died down, it’s a beautifully constructed low-budget movie that points to a very bright future for its maker.

• READ MORE: The story behind ‘Make Up’, the dazzling indie horror film about a battle between desire and repression

Make Up begins with Derby teenager Ruth (BAFTA-winning Three Girls actress Molly Windsor) arriving at the seaside caravan park where boyfriend Tom ( Les Misérables ’ Joseph Quinn) has been employed for the season. At first the young couple are thrilled to see one another, but the reunion buzz soon wears off as Ruth realises Tom has to work all day, leaving her to amuse herself in their glumly adequate caravan. When brunette Ruth finds a strand of red hair on Tom’s T-shirt and a makeup stain on the mirror, she clearly suspects him of cheating but doesn’t say a word.

At this point Ruth begins to catch glimpses of a red-haired woman around the windswept and near-empty park – or, does she just think she does? After reluctantly taking a job from the park’s rather bizarre owner Shirley (Lisa Palfrey), who provides some offbeat comic relief in a few memorable scenes, Ruth is partnered in the laundry room with Jade (The Last Kingdom’s Stefanie Martini). Tom warns Ruth not to get too close to her new co-worker, who’s much more chatty and confident than his reserved girlfriend, but stops short of outlining why.

A scene in which Jade applies a layer of bright red polish to Ruth’s unpainted nails feels pivotal: at first she’s excited by the extra glamour, but soon she’s scrubbing the colour off furiously – here, Oakley injects a bit of wince-inducing body-horror. It gradually becomes apparent that Ruth is less disturbed by her boyfriend’s suspected infidelity than by a seismic shift in who she thinks she is. The turmoil she’s feeling inside, but unable to express yet, manifests in a series of alarming visions including sudden jolts of sexual imagery.

Filmed entirely within a real-life Cornish holiday park, Make Up was presumably made on a shoestring but doesn’t seem hobbled by its budget. Everything from using wigs as a creepy visual motif to soundtracking Ruth’s tentatively transformative moment with Fern Kinney’s queer disco classic ‘Love Me Tonight’ feels pretty masterful. The result is both unsettling and affecting, thanks in no small part to Windsor’s seriously accomplished performance as a buttoned-up young woman struggling to process her own feelings.

Make Up will make you feel a bittersweet nostalgia for your own growing pains, whatever form they may have taken.

• Director: Claire Oakley
• Starring: Molly Windsor, Stefanie Martini, Joseph Quinn
• Release date: July 31

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Common Sense Media Review

Genre-bending coming-of-age story has strong language, sex.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Make Up is a British coming-of-age drama about a teenager who discovers and explores her same-sex attraction, and contains scenes of a sexual nature and strong language. While working at an RV campsite with her boyfriend, Tom (Joseph Quinn), 18-year-old Ruth (Molly Windsor) begins to…

Why Age 15+?

Sex is both implied and portrayed onscreen on a number of occasions, including o

Language includes "c--t," "f--k," "f--king," and "s--t," as well as "piss."

A physical fight breaks out between two characters, though neither is hurt. A ch

Cigarettes are frequently smoked. Occasional misuse of marijuana, with character

Any Positive Content?

The movie focuses on the importance of exploration and self-discovery, and its p

Ruth is initially confused and upset by her same-sex attraction, but is able to

Parents need to know that Make Up is a British coming-of-age drama about a teenager who discovers and explores her same-sex attraction, and contains scenes of a sexual nature and strong language. While working at an RV campsite with her boyfriend, Tom (Joseph Quinn), 18-year-old Ruth (Molly Windsor) begins to develop feelings for fellow employee Jade (Stefanie Martini). Sex is represented onscreen -- including oral sex -- and is implied a number of times. There is also nudity. Strong language includes the use of "c--t," "f--k," and "s--t," and characters regularly smoke cigarettes and occasionally smoke pot and drink alcohol. One character throws up as a result of drink and drugs. The movie has a very ominous tone, and moments of mild threat and violence. This includes someone being locked in a motor home, a physical fight, and creepy figures appearing at windows. A gritty slow-burn with surreal elements and adult themes, the movie is suitable for adults and older teens.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex is both implied and portrayed onscreen on a number of occasions, including oral sex, and there is fairly frequent kissing and touching. Full nudity is shown from behind as well as characters seen topless. There is also an instance of masturbation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

A physical fight breaks out between two characters, though neither is hurt. A character is locked in a caravan against their will and smashes a window with a chair. There is mention of the death of a grandparent. Mild threat includes ominous figures at windows and noises outside, as well as an elderly resident going missing at night and being discovered in a distressed state. A scene involves a particularly gruesome removal of fake nails.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Cigarettes are frequently smoked. Occasional misuse of marijuana, with characters seen to be visibly high. Spirits and beers are consumed inside a motor home and at an outdoor gathering, where characters appear mildly intoxicated. One character throws up due to the affects of drink and drugs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

The movie focuses on the importance of exploration and self-discovery, and its potential to lead to acceptance and happiness.

Positive Role Models

Ruth is initially confused and upset by her same-sex attraction, but is able to gradually explore and accept it. Her interest in love is bright and free. This is in contrast to her boyfriend, Tom, who is reserved and displays a lack of warmth. Life on the RV campsite is portrayed as grim and somewhat joyless.

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• Kids say (1)

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In MAKE UP, 18-year-old Ruth (Molly Windsor) arrives at a holiday park in southern England to spend the summer with her boyfriend, Tom (Joseph Quinn). But, it turns out day-to-day life is less exciting than anticipated and the time she's able to spend with Tom is monotonous and tense. Increasingly Ruth is drawn to fellow employee Jade (Stefanie Martini), whose vibrant spirit and lust for life leads her to experiment with wigs and make up, and explore her identity. As the two spend more time together, Ruth realizes her feelings run deeper than friendship and she struggles to understand and accept her same-sex attraction.

Is It Any Good?

Make Up is a fantastic debut feature from director Claire Oakley that manages to straddle multiple genres. What at first presents as an eerie thriller gradually becomes a drama about self-discovery and freedom that is handled with an intimate and wildly creative touch by Oakley. Filmed mostly in muted tones, with frequent moments of stillness and quiet, the feeling of isolation and claustrophobia mixed with ominous visions and noises create a heightened state of tension just waiting to be cut. Windsor makes for a captivating lead, who keeps her cards close to her chest as she navigates the confusing terrain of questioning her sexuality. Subdued pinks and oranges evolve into deep reds in dreamlike flashes that prove a stark contrast to the dreary surrounding environment. This creates an intriguing visual style that will pull more patient viewers into a movie that is somehow both bold and delicate in equal measure -- and a promising debut from a fresh new British filmmaker.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Make Up portrays sex . Is it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

Discuss the relationship between Ruth and Jade. How does the movie handle the subject of sexuality? Does it do it well? Why, or why not?

How is teen drinking and smoking portrayed in the movie? Is substance use glamorized ? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

Discuss the strong language used. Does it seem necessary or excessive? What does it contribute to the movie?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : November 13, 2020
• Cast : Molly Windsor , Joseph Quinn , Stefanie Martini
• Director : Claire Oakley
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors
• Studio : Mutiny Pictures
• Genre : Drama
• Character Strengths : Curiosity
• Run time : 86 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• Last updated : July 23, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

Summer '03

Coming-of-age movies, movies with lgbtq+ characters, related topics.

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Make Up (2020)

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When two people are brought together from completely different walks of life, it can make for awkward circumstances, especially when they both have their secrets. When two people are brought together from completely different walks of life, it can make for awkward circumstances, especially when they both have their secrets. When two people are brought together from completely different walks of life, it can make for awkward circumstances, especially when they both have their secrets.

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• Trivia This movie was filmed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, while several restrictions were in place.

User reviews 4

A must see film with meaningful impact.

• Aug 1, 2023
• June 27, 2023 (United States)
• United Kingdom
• Official Website
• London, England, UK
• Lucas A. Ferrara
• Red Blazer Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• Runtime 1 hour 30 minutes

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Movie Name : Maa Nanna Superhero

Release Date : October 11, 2024

123telugu.com Rating : 3/5

Starring : Sudheer Babu, Sayaji Shinde, Sai Chand, Amani, Raju Sundaram, Shashank, Aarna, Annie, Harshith Reddy, and others

Director : Abhilash Reddy

Producer : Sunil Balusu

Music Director: Jay Krish

Cinematographer: Sameer Kalyani

Editor: Anil Kumar P

Related Links : Trailer

Actor Sudheer Babu, who has been trying out varied genres of movies, has come up with an emotional father-son drama this Dasara festive season. The film has released in cinemas today amid a decent buzz. Check out our review to know how the film fares.

Jani (Sudheer Babu) loses his father (Sai Chand) in his childhood and takes shelter at an orphanage. A rich person (Sayaji Shinde) adopts Jani. However, he suffers huge losses in his life and stops talking to Jani. But Jani adores his father so much and works hard to clear the debts and correct his father’s mistakes. In a twist of fate, Sayaji Shinde gets arrested in a case. Jani needs Rs 1 crore to free his father. The rest of the story unfolds Jani’s ordeal in securing his father’s release.

Plus Points:

Of late, the Telugu film industry has been witnessing a series of good films. Maa Nanna Superhero proudly joins this league. The film scores well with its emotional drama that manages to touch everyone. Sudheer Babu raises a notch higher as an actor with his natural performance. As usual, Sayaji Shinde performed quite well and proved yet again what a versatile artiste he is.

The scenes featuring Sudheer Babu and Sayaji Shinde have been crafted well. Senior character artiste Sai Chand is a surprise factor in the movie. He perfectly justifies his role and the film’s title with his performance and comedic timing. He left the audience clapping in a scene in the second half. The film’s climax ends on an emotional note and was handled quite well without any confusion.

Heroine Aarna Vohra impresses with her cute looks and decent performance. Actor and star choreographer Raju Sundaram’s special role in the second offers a fresh feel. The rest of the actors did well in driving the story forward.

Minus Points:

We cannot expect a never-before-seen storyline in Maa Nanna Superhero. The film runs on a familiar template. The film starts on a slow note and takes enough time to gain momentum. The scenes that follow offer a sense of predictability.

After a decent first half that forms the base for a tense second half, the film details due to unnecessary comedy scenes. Certain scenes in the second half will remind the audiences of Allu Arjun’s character in Vedam. The heroine’s character lacks prominence in the narrative.

Technical Aspects:

Director Abhilash Reddy, who won accolades for his critically acclaimed web-series, Loser, once again shows his depth in crafting emotional scenes. Even though Maa Nanna Superhero doesn’t boast a refreshingly new storyline, the director makes it an engaging fare with his narrative and execution. The emotions and particularly the climax episode stood out well. That said, the director could have come up with a much better plot and narrative structure to engage the audiences.

Jay Krish’s musical score touches audiences’ hearts with its poignancy and depth. Even the songs were decent and helped drive the narrative. While cinematographer Sameer Kalyani makes the film a visual delight with beautiful frames, editor Anil Kumar P also does a decent job with the cuts. There are several impressive dialogues that add depth to certain crucial scenes. The production values by the makers are pretty good.

Maa Nanna Superhero offers an emotional ride this Dasara season. While the movie features a familiar storyline, the performances by Sudheer Babu, Sayaji Shinde, and Sai Chand make up for the shortcomings. Family audiences and every son will connect with this emotional drama. Barring a few predictable scenes, you may certainly watch Maa Nanna Superhero by keeping your expectations in check.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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