Looking back, Christopher Nolan’s ascent in Hollywood can only be described as meteoric. His second feature film, the 2000 masterpiece Memento, served as his breakout moment. It opened doors that led him to collaborate with legends like Al Pacino and Robin Williams on 2002’s Insomnia. By the time his fourth film, Batman Begins (2005), arrived, Nolan was already a household name. Similar to Steven Soderbergh, his rise to prominence was exceptionally swift.
Most emerging directors spend years cutting their teeth in the industry—producing commercials, helming television episodes, or laboring on low-budget B-movies. Consequently, when these filmmakers hit their stride, they usually leave a significant trail of early work for new fans to explore. For instance, those captivated by Everything Everywhere All at Once can dive into the eclectic collection of music videos by the Daniels, while fans of Steven Spielberg have early gems like Duel or Amblin’ to dissect.
For Christopher Nolan, however, the road stops at his 1998 debut, Following. Before you catch his latest projects, it’s worth revisiting the raw beginning of his career. The film is currently available on AMC+ and can be streamed for free via Kanopy.
Following centers on Bill (Jeremy Theobald), a restless, underemployed writer who develops an odd obsession: trailing unsuspecting people through London just to observe their movements. He lacks a sinister agenda; he’s simply driven by idle curiosity and a lack of direction.
Predictably, his hobby backfires when a target notices him. This stranger, Cobb (Alex Haw), is a professional burglar who harbors his own voyeuristic tendencies. He eventually pulls Bill into the criminal underworld, framing burglary as the logical evolution of Bill’s stalker-like pastime. What begins as a curiosity quickly spirals into a dangerous situation that leaves Bill overwhelmed.
Without context, a first-time viewer might mistake Following for a gritty relic from a bygone era. Shot on 16mm film in stark black-and-white, it feels timeless. Only subtle details—such as Cobb’s penchant for fencing stolen CDs—ground the narrative in the modern London of the late 90s.
The only thing preventing Following from being a traditional homage to 1950s noir is its reliance on natural lighting. Lacking the budget for professional studio lights, Nolan shot entirely in daylight. It carries the weight and tension of classics like Sunset Boulevard, yet remains devoid of those signature, moody shadows. It begs the question: what do you call a noir film bathed in constant, unyielding sunlight? A lumière, perhaps?
This restraint gives Following a linear, grounded quality distinct from the surreal, complex narratives that defined Nolan’s later career. You can spot the foreshadowing from the opening frame—Bill’s trajectory clearly leads to ruin—but the exact path of his undoing remains masterfully hidden until the final act.
It remains a puzzle why Following doesn’t receive more recognition today. Perhaps the sheer impact of Memento’s fragmented, mind-bending structure cast a shadow over Nolan’s debut. Otherwise, it should be regarded as a pillar of 90s shoestring-budget cinema, standing proudly beside titles like Clerks, El Mariachi, and The Blair Witch Project. If you only know Nolan for his colossal, high-concept epics, Following offers an intimate, essential glimpse into the foundation of a modern master.
Following is now available to stream on Kanopy and AMC+.
Source: Polygon
