Benjamin film review: Siddhartha meets Catcher in the Rye for millennials

Thank you. Thank you God for Curzon Home Streaming without which my cinematic feasting would be a paltry bowl of cornflakes (and i’m talking plain not even the crunchy nut variety)- which would revolve around the big blockbusters of Captain Marvel, the Lego Movie 2 and How to Train your Dragon (isn’t it trained by now?).

So praise be to God for Curzon serving up a joyous feast in the form of Benjamin – the bacon sandwich of quirky indie existential soul-searching.

Simon Amstell is a bloody genius and this is a bloody gem of a movie. He wrote it, directed it and above all else he felt it. He felt every single dark thought, every awkward moment (and there are lots to choose from), he felt it all and he recreates it with raw characters, fractured relationships and gnarling inner voices questioning what it’s all about, what we’re all about and why we can’t connect to anyone – let alone ourselves.

It’s like Hesse’s Siddhartha meets Catcher in the Rye – revamped for millennials questioning their existence.

From the opening moments, it’s beautifully shot and it’s crafted with meticulous attention to detail throughout. The opening sees us watching Benjamin watching his film and it sees him seeking approval.

And this is what it’s all about really – our deep need for approval, our constant, gnawing and sometimes all-consuming quest for it. And this soulless search for it leaves us bereft of joy. Doing something for joy in itself is not worthwhile if it’s not given the nod of approval by another.

Amstell’s inability to hold down lasting relationships resonates. He reveals that our need to sparkle and to constantly entertain others means we never show our ‘off form unsparkly selves’ so we aren’t really ever real.
This holds us back from being vulnerable and without this we struggle to be loved (and on a deeper level we can’t be happy with ourselves) and so we constantly search for the approval to say we’re alright, we’re worth something and that everything is really going to be okay.

Benjamin (but really it’s Amstell) has to confront his inability to show his vulnerability when he meets French singer Noah. It’s either lose him or lose the walls surrounding his deepest feelings.

It’s a beautifully shot, tender, awkward film that is wonderfully soothing for anyone prone to an existential crisis – or two!