The story and acting isn’t the best. But that’s not what you watch this movie for. You watch it for Stanley Kubrick.

It’s clear that he’s still a photographer at this point and not a cinematographer. Especially in scenes where the camera itself has to pan and move. It’s, not great. Very amateurish.

But the shots. The compositions of them. Every single one is very well composed. For a photographer anyway. The amount he chooses to close in, when he chooses to get close ups and not, they’re all very photographically minded, and makes each shot a delight to consume in its own right. You can pause it and still see the full story.

His choices in when to follow the people, or have those talking off-camera and just filming seemingly mundane irrelevant actions going on are unique, and brilliant. Two people talking and he stays focused on the dog. Or two people talking and it’s a closeup of a third person pouring and consuming a drink. The decisions in keeping the stars off camera taught many directors a new skill that added to cinema.

This movie showcases well what Kubrick brought to cinema. His unique eye, and the strengths that make him so revered.