Naked

Uncomfortable, traumatic, depressing—absolutely my thing. There’s something about watching broken people implode that’s weirdly fascinating (maybe because I’m broken too—who’s to say?). Naked is probably one of the most brilliantly written films I’ve ever seen. It’s been a while since I was this gripped by the dialogue of a film. That conversation—or, more accurately, the bleakly existential, nihilist rant—between Johnny and Brian (the security guard) will live rent-free in my head forever. Johnny is one of those rare characters you simultaneously loathe and feel strangely drawn to, which makes him utterly compelling. David Thewlis is unreal in this. The way he embodies Johnny is equal parts chaotic and heartbreaking. He disappears into Johnny so completely it’s hard to tell where the character ends and the actor begins. And I’ve got to give credit to the actresses as well; their performances brought so much depth, rawness and weight to the film—they provide a vital counterbalance to Johnny’s endless rants. Naked is tough to watch, but it’s the kind of film that gets under your skin and stays there. Uncomfortable in all the best ways.