More could and should be said about Mike Leigh’s Naked than this review can really afford, so we’ll do our best to touch on as many of the film’s layers as possible and the excellence of David Thewlis’s performance. Naked’s Johnny may be one of the best fictional creations of British cinema of the twentieth century and his Socratic tirades against friends, lovers, and strangers alike give the film’s title multiple meanings. You might not know who Mike Leigh is, and you may only faintly recognize David Thewlis here (as you likely know him better from his work in the Harry Potter series), but Naked is a film that tackles the human condition over and over again and wrestles with complex themes that will keep you thinking about the film for days after.
Running away from the consequences of his actions, Johnny (David Thewlis) travels to the London flat of his ex-girlfriend Louise (Lesley Sharp) where he runs into her roommate Sophie (Katrin Cartlidge) who welcomes him in. By the time Louise arrives home, Sophie worships Johnny’s brilliance and they’ve become romantically entwined. Uncertain of what to do next, he takes to the streets and chats up strangers from a despondent young woman to the security guard at an industrial building, filleting their moral beliefs and casting doubt upon everything they believe with a barrage of questions and unstoppable tirades. Each person reacts differently to his conversational combo of venom and honey, and he ultimately pursues rejection from men and women willing to offer him some semblance of welcome, platonic or sexual. Meanwhile, the rich sociopath Jeremy (Greg Cruttwell) achieves similar sadistic sexual pleasures but without any of the lighthearted conversation, instead taking complete control and feeling no remorse. To make matters worse, he winds up on Louise’s doorstep revealing himself to be the landlord and torturing the women emotionally and sexually before Johnny returns.
As I said before, there’s just so much to be said about this film wherein Mike Leigh has left lots of questions unanswered allowing for audiences to take away different meanings, making it a perfect film to generate conversation and entice repeat viewings. Watching Naked once is rewarding, but the depth of Thewlis’s performance should immediately make him one of your favorite actors, as he’s despicable and endearing all at once. This makes his fate in the film all the more moving, and it begs lots of questions as to the meaning behind some of his more cryptic rants.
Interpretations of Johnny’s injured ramblings at Jeremy’s feet vary widely and all are valid. Was it simply pain-induced nonsense about his painful family life that has influenced how he pushes away everyone he cares about as an adult? Was Johnny identifying himself as a convert to Jeremy’s full-fledged policy of nihilistic egotism and misogyny? Did Johnny believe the cruel, materialistic Jeremy to be Satan and a sign of the apocalyptic circumstances he’d discussed earlier in the film? The Johnny and Jeremy parallel stirs up lots of questions about the moral differences between different classes, and their anti-climactic final meeting can be construed as a commentary that the only thing that separates their actions is the methods their levels of affluence allow them to employ; Jeremy can woo women with fancy cars and apartments, whereas the broke and haggard Johnny has to rely on charms, making him seem warm in comparison.
Then you have the conversational style of Johnny that comprises a large portion of the film, an equal opportunity assault on decency, personal boundaries, and convictions. Johnny lacks any sort of filter and flings condemnation and compliments with equal force and seemingly no consideration to the ramifications of either. It’s not that he has no sense of tact, but he lacks the social pretense that layers conversations with underlying contempt or scorn. He’s naked in mannerism and intent. Everything he wants he says so openly and takes, whether it’s a possession or a female’s dignity. Yet the film never comes across as misogynistic, but rather the embodiment of universal honesty regardless of cost.
Criterion Collection has restored Naked to the best quality yet, removing dirt and spots to make the beautifully shot scenes walking through London’s streets. The audio for the film is less impressive than its visuals, not for a lack of effort but because the film is so steeped in rapid-fire dialogue that there’s not much to be done to enhance it.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The Blu-ray release includes the audio commentary track with Leigh, Thewlis, and Cartlidge which you’ll feel compelled to listen to after your first viewing and it’s worth the time. Hearing the back and forth of Thewlis and Leigh regarding the character they created in Johnny speaks volumes to what makes Naked such a perfect film. Next up, filmmaker Neil LaBute offers his take on the film’s themes as well as where Naked fits in the body of Mike Leigh’s work. The included episode of The Art Zone, featuring a conversation between Will Self and Leigh is a bit dry and strays off-topic to many of his other films as well, but it’s still great insight into Leigh’s take on his own work. The last video extra is Mike Leigh’s comical short film, The Short and Curlies, which stars Thewlis and is a worthwhile watch; it also has an audio commentary but only with Leigh and he doesn’t have much to say about it.
Also included in the packaging are two essays on the film, the first is Derek Malcolm’s “Desperate Days” and it’s followed up with “The Monster We Know” by Amy Taubin.
"Naked (The Criterion Collection)" is on sale July 12, 2011 and is rated R. Drama. Written and directed by Mike Leigh. Starring David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell.
