And Then Come the Nightjars

Even the title’s inelegant plod of monosyllables comes off as somehow annoying and pretentious.

Adapted from an award-winning play with just two main characters, this British drama is a talky -- and incredibly sweary -- movie.

Although it can’t escape the pure stage-yness of the setup, with two great central performances, And Then Come The Nightjars is thoroughly nice. In this day and age, that’s a rare treat.

Films showing the dirt under the fingernails of rural British life are rare, which is maybe why this feels very natural, honest and almost shorn of unnecessary, extraneous characters that could hinder or come between the pair.

It’s hard to be critical of first-time writer Bea Roberts and first-time director Paul Robinson, nor of their film’s perfectly serviceable production values.