LFF: Night Bus (2014) Dir. Simon Baker

We had high expectations for Night Bus for the obvious reasons - set in London on the No39 Leytonstone double decker bus. This character led drama uses multiple shared experiences between a number of people in the confined space of the night bus. Unfortunately this feature is excruciatingly painful to endure.

The characters are dull and all too familiar here - there also appears to be a chauvinistic undertone to most of these conversations, often painting Londoners as rude and one dimensional - There are a bunch of sales men on their way home from a strip club, a Muslim girl and her friend discussing in a causal, humorous manner why she wears a hijab, two black teen boys listening to their music ever so loudly, a middle class couple arguing after dinner out with another couple (also worth noting that their argument makes absolutely no sense) and a Northern young couple dressed in Tiger onesies.

There is also a middle aged man whom we learn is going through a divorce, desperate to get home and constantly on his mobile, he's interrupted by two drunk Polish men singing bizarre songs that went on far too long. Stereotypes. There is nothing original or captivating about Night Bus. Perhaps that's the point which would have been acceptable and admirable if these characters had some depth. They don't.

First time Director, Simon Baker, has certainly wooed us with his slick editing skills and repetitive shots of the bus - he used these intervals as means to 'wrap up' individual sequences with characters on the bus. Night Bus glorified the bus driver, the film almost felt like a TV advert for London Transport, encouraging youngsters and drunkards to be aware of the challenges bus drivers face.

Irritating, bizarre and arrogant. This feature lacked charm and substance.