Joanna Hogg ‘s follow up took a while to find its groove with the first half that dragging without the strong focus of the first film but the surreal Almodovarian metafiction last half with its genre bending reproduction of the past via filmmaking within film genuinely is so fascinating and more than make up its meandering first half.Essentially Kaufman’s “Adaptations”meets the ending of Jordowsky’s Holy Mountain but for young filmmakers and students.Incredibly dreamy,surreal,it deconstructs the trauma of the past and pushes the protagonist to face it through the act of creation,it’s incredibly powerful and cathartic to re-examine things you taken for granted now that one has to share that personal story with other either with creative collaborators or the audiences.The last frame esp is just one of the year’s best ending and added such a profound layer to the meta-fiction.All the returning cast are great,the Swindon mother daughter once again shines,the intimate unsaid rift between them as the result of the reeling effect of Anthony’s death while never explicit was gently impactful.On the other hand Richard Ayode returning as Patrick is just one the most magnetic supporting characters of films in recent years,an absolutely scene stealer full of pizzazz and vivid personality,arrogant but so damn entertaining,he says it like it is and is gloriously fashioned in his outfits,a twat no doubt but also a no nonsense hot tempered creative that makes every scene he’s in infinitely more interesting.He’s in more of part 2 and for the better.The compositions and shots again are mesmerizing but in the last half it really went out experimenting and it’s just so exquisite and masterful.In some way this whole film’s subject matter is almost even niche-er than the first as it’s about filmmakers in their early stage trying to articulate their indescribable visions when they barely have any experiences but I enjoyed it a lot nonetheless caused it felt extremely personal,met so many young filmmakers trying to figure their voice out on the go and storytelling being used as a way to reconcile with ones past can be a painful but ultimately poignant process in life.It’s also in telling ones own story that you seen things again from a different lens and it changes you. I liked it a lot but didn’t fully love it as a whole but I have a feeling this would grow on me more like the first one did.However I passionately love the last act so much that I cannot wait to revisit it again.