New head chef Carly (Vinette Robinson) has exacting standards by the plateful but she’s got a lot on her mind
The four-part series Boiling Point is as smooth a transition from film to TV as I can remember. You still get that intense, combustive environment that keeps us on a knife edge à la The Bear. But now writers James Cummings and Dan Cadan have time to explore the lives of staff outside the kitchen. That makes a far more layered and intriguing viewing experience than director Philip Barantini’s vein-popping one-shot feature from 2021.
A good example is the introduction of hapless new chef de partie Johnny (Stephen Odubola). Without the extra minutes, it would be too easy to write him off as a liability who has no business being anywhere near Point North, head chef Carly's (Vinette Robinson) new restaurant. In time, we learn the source of his desperation and also the strength of Johnny's character.
Fans of the movie will be happy to see almost all the original cast return including Ray Panthaki as Freeman, Hannah Walters as Emily and Izuka Hoyle as Camille. Robinson exhibits an incredible range of anguished expressions as Carly struggles to balance being the new boss after Andy’s (Stephen Graham) exit with her constant worry about mum Vivian (Cathy Tyson) who trivialises and belittles her daughter's enterprise at every opportunity.
You can really sense Carly yearning for happiness that feels just beyond reach and many of us will sympathise with her desperate attempt to maintain a professional veneer to mask the inner turmoil.
She is an underdog, straining to succeed, craving validation. Good chefs don't necessarily make the best managers and that plays on her mind, particularly in a male-dominated arena. As Williams says, "sometimes she neglects herself and what she needs, and that catches up with her.”
So what’s at stake this time round? Carly and business partner Liam (Joel MacCormack) are cash-strapped and trying to find backers for Point North so a successful launch is critical. Things quickly start to go wrong. Pastry chef Jamie (Stephen McMillan) buckles under the pressure in devastating fashion. Kitchen porter Jake (Daniel Larkai) has major money worries that compromise his already thin focus at work. And waitress Robyn (Áine Rose Daly) is suffering in silence with Crohn’s disease.
Even Emily, so often the rock and the mother hen in the kitchen, is only one incident away from a potential crisis. Her scenes with 'son' Jamie are incredibly moving, as is her support for an aloof Andy who is trying to kick the bottle and get back on his feet after that heart attack at the end of the film. It's something Freeman feels guilty about after he lashed out.
Cast members have praised the family environment that's been cultivated on- and off-screen. That really comes across in the bonds we see and the tensions that arise. Maitre d/party liaison Dean (Gary Lamont) is one of those guys who would just keep your spirits up on a shift, as long as you don’t mess up an order.
He's representative of the more compassionate workplace Carly hopes to offer in contrast to Andy. But the weight of responsibility brings out the worst in the new boss and we wonder how long it will be until she turns to her old mentor. Perhaps the only one who can truly understand what she's going through.
Point North has been realised in intricate detail by Adam Tomlinson and the production team. It all feels proper and up to inspection. Ellis Barrie, consultant chef, has helped the cast appear more than competent on camera in how they prep, taste and finish dishes. I like that Barantini chose to film the series up in Manchester instead of London, shifting the balance of power ever so slightly. He also remained loyal to most of his original cast and crew, including DoP Matthew Lewis, resisting calls for bigger names.
And finally, Mounia Akl, director of episodes three and four, is a name we are going to be hearing a lot more of. Akl, who garnered praise for her film Costa Brava, Lebanon and series Beirut, I Love You, was fully involved from day one. The orchestration of drama in and out of the restaurant, in a way that allows characters to develop different dimensions, brings us far beyond the fine line between success and failure towards a deeper empathy with this kitchen.
What a juicy cliffhanger to end on. We need series two, please. And bring back slimy Alastair Skye (Jason Flemyng) with his back-handed compliments, while you're at it.
Boiling Point is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.