Sky Peals ★★★

Released: 9 August 2024

Director: Moin Hussain

Starring: Faraz Ayub

Review By: Awais Irfan

Identity is kind of like a motorway service station, a no man’s land for the lone wanderers of the night to seek refuge, in the middle of nowhere with nothing but endless road on either side – a space for those without a destination to take stock. At least it is in Moin Hussain’s metaphysical debut Sky Peals, a film that gently asks the big question: “Where are you going?”

For Adam (Faraz Ayub), it’s no easy answer. He was born to an English mother (Claire Rushbrook) and an absent, Pakistani father. But he doesn’t know where he fits in, struggling to connect either part of his upbringing and uncertain of even his job serving fast food at the Sky Peals Green service station. When he’s displaced from his childhood home and his father suddenly passes away under mysterious circumstances, Adam is forced to reckon with his heritage which he believes could be extra-terrestrial.

Hussain’s use of the word “alien” is liberal here, not just in the possibility that Adam’s parentage could be from outer space but in Adam’s struggle to find belonging. The bi-cultural experience of growing up with two separate identities, the clash of cultural and societal values, often feels like an alienating and singular struggle. However, Hussain taps into that feeling incredibly well here, making it relatable by cultivating a moody, isolating atmosphere that keeps the audience at arm’s length. It’s an approach that sometimes means the emotional heft of the story doesn’t land but offers great insight into Adam’s own, often fledgling psyche as he navigates his purpose and tries to figure out where he belongs and who he is destined to be.

However, Hussain is reticent to give the audience any substantial answers. There are brilliant flashes of sci-fi and the supernatural but they amount to very little as Hussain tries to, instead, preserve a more grounded approach. Resulting in a middling cop-out that doesn’t commit to either lane fully enough to work. The lack of any real conflict or dramatic weight means the script meanders through various set pieces and interactions with a little too much ease as well. But this is a mood piece, first and foremost, using tone and visuals to drive the thematic ideas of displacement, heritage and identity. Nick Cooke’s cinematography is arresting and the use of surrealist flourishes (a Volvo car that appears out of nowhere every so often; dream sequences and CCTV footage that drums up a lot of tension) coupled with smart editing create a fascinating visual language for Hussain to experiment with and it’s a film drenched in rich atmosphere – even if it’s a little laborious to get through and doesn’t amount to a whole lot.

At the heart of Sky Peals is a sublime turn from Ayub whose soft-spoken Adam trying to grapple with his entire life imploding into itself. It’s a deft, subtle turn that makes his plight incredibly tragic but also so tangible and real. A scene where Adam goes through his dad’s belongings is a particular highlight with Ayub’s restrained work really making it work. Similarities have been shared with Under the Skin, both using contemporary Britain as a landscape for the existential dread of existence with a leading character that may or may not have extra-terrestrial roots. Sky Peals is rougher around the edges but it’s an impressive debut nonetheless about trying to make sense of the world around you, even when it all feels so daunting… and alien.