Writer-director Ryan Coogler struck gold with his latest film Sinners, which is currently one of the highest-grossing films of the year, and you may have noticed a familiar name in the credits – that of Christopher Nolan. The credits of Coogler’s transcendent supernatural horror film offer special thanks to both Nolan and his wife, and producing partner Emma Thomas. In Coogler’s recent exploration of the Criterion Closet, he cites Nolan as a mentor while praising his feature directorial debut, Following, a low-budget neo-noir crime thriller. Released in 1998, Following is, surprisingly, still the only one of Nolan’s films with a Criterion release, and, as Coogler goes on to explain, showcases many of the hallmarks Nolan would later become known for. Considering the massive amounts of money Nolan would later get the opportunity to work with, Following is an impressive look at what he was able to accomplish as a young filmmaker with big ideas working on a small budget.

What Is ‘Following’ About?

Made with a budget of just $6,000, Following uses a framing device to tell the story of a lonely young writer credited as simply The Young Man (Jeremy Theobald), who is later referred to as Bill. The Young Man wanders the streets of London, making a habit of following people to find inspiration for his novel. He sets a few rules for himself so as not to get noticed by any of his subjects, but soon gets noticed by a well-dressed man who then confronts him for following him, identifying himself as Cobb (Alex Haw). Cobb soon reveals he has a similar interest in the lives of others, making a habit of breaking into people’s apartments and rifling through their things without actually stealing anything. Though he’s at first concerned about getting caught, Cobb’s confidence and suave demeanor inspire The Young Man to accompany him on his break-ins and attempt a few of his own. When The Young Man pursues a relationship with a woman whose flat they broke into, things take a dark turn. Anyone familiar with Nolan’s penchant for plot twists will appreciate the intricate mystery he’s able to weave into Following’s 70-minute runtime, laying the groundwork for films like Memento and The Prestige.

Starring a cast of unknown actors, including Nolan’s uncle, John, Following was shot on black-and-white 16mm film stock, allowing him to save money by using mostly available light. Influenced by the noir genre, Nolan also took inspiration from his life in London and a recent break-in at his own apartment. As he recounted after a 2012 screening at the IFC Center, “I realized that the door was just plywood, and that was never keeping anybody out. What was keeping people out was the social protocols that we have that allow us to live together. I was interested in the certain types of people who would stop observing those protocols, and why that would be.” As Coogler mentions in his Criterion Closet video, Following is Nolan at his most indie, and though the constraints of its low budget are evident, it’s part of the film’s charm and what makes it such a unique part of his filmography before his career took off.

‘Following’ Gives Us a Look at Themes Nolan Would Explore Throughout His Career

With no big budget or recognizable stars to speak of, Following is an interesting look at the kind of themes and storytelling methods Nolan would go on to hone throughout his career, all the way up to his most recent Best Picture winner, Oppenheimer. Its non-linear plot structure allows for the larger mystery to be teased out and keeps us guessing, with plot twists that don’t click into place until the very end. This disorienting feeling that’s present in Following can be found in other films like Inception and Tenet, which make us question the nature of time and memory through their complex narratives. The philosophical questions Nolan is clearly fascinated with first take shape in Following, which explores themes of identity and the malleability of memory, albeit on a more surface-level compared to his later work. Plus, the evolving dynamic between Cobb and The Young Man is an early look at the way Nolan explores the nuances of masculinity throughout his filmography, like Batman (Christian Bale) and the Joker (Heath Ledger) of The Dark Knight, Angiers (Hugh Jackman) and Borden (Bale) of The Prestige, and Neil (Robert Pattinson) and the Protagonist (John David Washington) of Tenet.

Even with its low budget, Nolan’s potential is on full display in Following. Anyone who became a fan of Nolan through The Dark Knight trilogy or delved into his previous filmography after the success of Oppenheimer should follow Coogler’s advice and check out Following to see where it all began.

Following is available to stream for free on Tubi.

Following

Release Date

April 2, 1999

Runtime

69 minutes