I recently picked up several DVD’s from a charity shop for a pound each. One of these were Enduring Love (2004), a film I had never heard of before until the moment I picked it up. Seeing pre – Bond era Daniel Craig on the front cover, I was intrigued. That intrigue was further added to by the large Red Hot balloon on which normally signifies a family friendly element to the piece of art, yet with an R-rated 18 at the bottom corner, this could not be the case.

This film has without a doubt, one of the most edge of your seat openings I have experienced. Greeted by the peaceful English countryside, I relaxed into the warmth of my sofa. “Two people having a picknick” I thought, my body sunk even further into the soft cushions. Yet in less than two minutes, the entrance of our intriguing red hot air balloon decides to take centre stage, a sense of unease crashing along behind it. Gone were the extensive shots of landscape and the gentle pace of Joe (Daniel Craig’s character) trying to open up an expensive bottle of champagne. Now came a entourage of quick cuts, close ups and shaky handheld shots which undoubtably switched up the tone. A succession of characters we weren’t familiar with then come running into frame (literally), all trying to prevent this wrecking ball of a hot air balloon from taking flight. They successfully stop it moving till what seems like a godly presence in the form of a badly timed gust of winds sends the balloon soaring upwards again. It is at this point we as the audience expect the danger to continue, which it does, yet in a way which I did not expect.

Four men, one of which is main character Joe, hangs onto the four corners of the Air balloon basket, the Dad dangling off on the rope. The roaring fire of the Balloon quiets down and makes way for the score to kick softly ebb into the film. The heavy breathing of one of the men accompanies the violins and harps. We see Joe slowly hanging in the air, he wears the face of a man who has just discovered something. Lost in the moment, he gives into his sense of feeling brought on by the weightlessness of flight. He feels like he has just discovered a superpower, yet acknowledges the increasing sense of vulnerability, between himself and his fall. The Director’s powerful metaphor for love. Or what I can only imagine love to feel like.

The man who fell was not lost, yet so assured in his thoughts that given the choice, he would have never let go.

All four men eventually let go, falling to the floor with a heavy landing. They are safe. Grounded, they stand up, looking at the hot air balloon float further off into the distance. The farther of the boy clings on. His love for his son an unfamiliar feeling to the four men who watch from the ground. At first, I thought the reason they all stood still watching because they did not know how to help the situation. Upon further thought however, I realised I was wrong. The men, joined by Joe’s partner who comes back on screen, are lost in the beauty of what they are witnessing. They watch the unfaltering love between a farther and son. A love so pure that it leads to death. The Director choses to highlight the beauty of a man hanging onto the last seconds of his life rather than the overwhelming sense of fear that the audience is expected to experience. This narrative is owed largely to Jeremy Sam’s who composed the score and did an excellent job capturing the duality between sadness and beauty. The man who fell was not lost, yet so assured in his thoughts that given the choice, he would have never let go.

The films opening conjures up so many emotions within the space of five minutes that one simply cannot forget it. Whenever I look at a hot air balloon I will recognise the presence of beauty and danger, something which seems to be underappreciated in our everyday life.

I would very much encourage that you go watch this film. As of the time of this writing it is available to stream on Netflix.