Based on a short story by China Miéville, Estate is set in a tenement-strewn London neighbourhood, full of tension and potential conflict. The return of a prodigal son is the literal spark for a series of events that bring Britain’s pagan past into its urban present, and while it doesn’t quite stick the landing, there’s plenty to like and admire in Tom Harberd’s directorial debut. Harberd’s previous work as a producer on over a hundred productions pays off as he attracts a capable cast, with Doctor Who’s Samuel Anderson starring as Rick, a man who’s just about had enough of the people he shares the estate with. The Expanse’s Dominique Tipper is Diana, the bridge between Rick’s past, present, and future, and Martin McCann features as the enigmatic Dan Joyce, the king under the mountain.
Full of stylish shots of London and its inner city blight, the short thrives as a showcase for Harberd’s cinematic eye, and succeeds as a taster, leaving you wanting more from not only the director and his cast, but also from the world in which it is set. Estate is another one of those films that makes a reviewer happy he gets to see such efforts, but sad that a wider audience does not.
