Film Club - Series Review

Friday night. 7pm. Film Club Week 198. Evie hasn’t left the house in six months after a ‘wobble’, and Film Club is her escape. A weekly chance to create a world of wonder, deck the garage out in whatever the movie calls for and spend a few uninterrupted hours with Noa - her best friend and one of the few mates who still shows up. But tonight, things are different. Noa’s got big news. A dream job is taking him across the other side of the country, which means that all of this is ending.

This series was such an unexpected delight, I binged it over two days. Aimee Lou Wood and Ralph Davis pen a witty and at times moving series that delves into how a cinephile uses movies to understand and interact with the world and her loved ones. In addition to writing, Wood does a superb job playing Evie, balancing comedy and drama throughout. The series does a particularly brilliant job of portraying agoraphobia through the perspective of a neurodivergent character without leaning into melodrama or negative tropes.

Catherine Morshead was a fantastic choice of director for this mini-series. Each episode pays homage to the “film of the week,” and Morshead's direction not only brings these films to life but also ensures that their themes perfectly complement Evie’s emotional state with stunning visuals. Even though there are only six episodes, none feel like filler, and the character arcs are brilliantly simple yet sentimental across the ensemble cast.

Suranne Jones in particular, was a standout. The eccentric mother archetype could have easily become cartoonish, but Jones humanises Suzanne, giving her both complexity and genuine comedic quirks, as she navigates supporting both her daughters in her own way.

The rest of the cast—Nabhaan Rizwan, Liv Hill, Adam Long, Ralph Davis, Arian Nik, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Owen Cooper, Kai Assi, Paul Copley, and Lisa McGrillis—was terrific, each bringing unique personality and nuance to their roles. I went into this expecting a comedy, but there were surprisingly deep and complex themes sprinkled throughout. You’d be laughing one minute and almost moved to tears the next.

Anyone who loves films—or has a Letterboxd profile—will appreciate the many movie references sprinkled throughout Evie and Noa’s dialogue. Their friends-to-lovers arc is beautifully written, with just the right amount of tension, hesitation, and conflict to be believable. However, the series doesn’t lose sight of Evie’s other relationships. While there’s a love triangle, the show’s heart is very much rooted in her family bonds with her mother and sister, treating those relationships as love stories in their own right as the characters come to terms with difficult truths and even more challenging pasts.

All six episodes dropped on BBC iPlayer earlier this month, and while I enjoyed the series, I hope a second season is only commissioned if there’s a story worth telling. This is very much a diamond in the rough. It’s a story with humour and heart, and the ending feels perfectly concluded. I’d put it in the same company as Fleabag—both protagonists start in difficult places, and the audience sees them grow and learn from it. That said, I’d be more than happy for a second season if the same creative team and cast return.

Film Club showcases British talent at its best—brilliant scripts, great direction, and a stellar cast. It has been one of my favourite shows of 2025 so far, and I’d be excited to see more of Aimee Lou Wood’s work, as she shines both behind and in front of the camera. This is a show that’s definitely worth watching and deserves far more hype.

My rating for Film Club: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The entire series of Film Club is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.