Departures (2025) Review
Departures (2025) Review
Having premiered at BFI Flare, the film’s raw honesty has proven to connect with critics, with CineramaFilm awarding the film 4 stars saying “Departures isn’t just one of the best gay movies of the year so far; it’s one of the most insightful, as perfectly timed comedy, powerful drama, and lived experience combine to create a one-of-a-kind movie”.
Benji encounters Jake at an airport gate, there is instant chemistry. Their relationship unfolds through monthly secret trips to Amsterdam. A must-see British comedy-drama that dissects a toxic relationship with humour and raw emotion. Inspired by real heartbreak. What begins as thrilling monthly getaways to Amsterdam soon unravels into a doomed relationship of convenience. Struggling to move on after being dumped, Benji spirals into addiction and fleeting hook-ups, haunted by the love he lost.
Departures stars Lloyd Eyre-Morgan (Outings, 3 in a Bed), David Tag (Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road), Tyler Conti (Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, Hollyoaks) and Liam Boyle (Emmerdale Farm, Coronation Street). Created by a collective of British, working-class LGBTQI+ filmmakers, Departures is a darkly comic, emotionally charged journey. Think Shirley Valentine meets LGBTQ Trainspotting.
When Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, It’s A Sin) praises a film as “honest, raw, tough, wildly funny and powerfully heartfelt,” it’s worth paying attention. Pair that with a poster boldly declaring DEPARTURES “a Danny Boyle moment for British queer cinema,” and I was instantly sold. Comparisons to Trainspotting—that iconic, culture-shifting lightning bolt—set a high bar. But if cult status is earned through authenticity and impact, then DEPARTURES is more than worthy of entering the conversation.
Admittedly, this is something of a departure from the horror and thriller fare typically covered here. Yet its inclusion feels entirely justified. Like Trainspotting, this is a film driven by voice, energy, and a refusal to sanitise its subject matter—exactly the kind of work that finds its audience and lingers long after the credits roll.
Co-directors Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely—previous collaborators on the short S.A.M.—deliver a deeply personal, sharply observed story rooted in lived experience. Self-funded and clearly a labour of love, DEPARTURES is a testament to what independent filmmaking can achieve when passion and purpose align. Their commitment is visible in every frame; this is filmmaking with heart, grit, and absolute conviction.
The film wastes no time pulling us into the volatile orbit of its central relationship, charting both its euphoric beginnings and inevitable unravelling. Performances across the board are exceptional, grounded in sharp, naturalistic dialogue that frequently veers into laugh-out-loud territory without ever undermining the emotional core.
Set against a working-class Manchester backdrop, the film feels both specific and universal. In an age dominated by digital connection yet emotional dissonance, DEPARTURES speaks to something deeply human: the difficulty of truly understanding one another. Its exploration of love, toxicity, and self-worth transcends labels—this is not just an LGBTQ story, but a story about relationships in their rawest form. Anyone who has ever loved unwisely (and who hasn’t?) will find something painfully familiar here.
On a personal note, DEPARTURES rings with striking authenticity—warts and all. Though I must admit, the men in my own past don’t quite measure up to the film’s effortlessly charismatic leads. Perhaps I’ve simply been living in the wrong city; Manchester, it seems, may hold better prospects.
Shot over several months, the film’s seamless construction is impressive, never betraying its independent roots. The chemistry between the leads is electric, grounding the film’s emotional highs and lows with convincing intensity. It’s this authenticity that ultimately seals the deal.
With Eyre-Morgan and Ely already moving forward with their next feature, Chatlines, there’s a clear sense that this is only the beginning. If DEPARTURES is anything to go by, their journey is one well worth following.
Departures will be in UK & Irish Cinemas from 17th April
