Anchor and Hope is a cool, modern love story set against the unique backdrop of London’s waterways. Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet, this beautifully-shot film pays tribute to the city’s lesser-known spots and explores a relationship that doesn’t follow society’s norms.
English rose Eva (Oona Chaplin) and her free-spirited Spanish girlfriend Kat (Natalia Tena) share a blissful, bohemian life on a houseboat on the canals of London. Deeply in love, their lives revolve around each other, maintaining their boat, hanging out with friends and indulging in the odd boozy night. Their jobs are similarly uncomplicated – Eva teaches salsa while Kat has a passion for boat construction but pulls pints in local pub, the Anchor and Hope, to make ends meet.
Kat’s best friend Roger (David Verdaguer) arrives from Barcelona to stay with them and during one tequila-fuelled night on the boat, Eva reveals her desire to have a baby. Wanting to help his friends, the lovable, slightly naive Roger offers to be the sperm donor and Kat agrees, being swept away in the moment.
Once the hangover subsides and all is decided, they begin their experimental process of conceiving with just a turkey baster, rather than the awkwardness of perfunctory sex or expensive IVF. Somehow they manage to pull it off and Eva is pregnant. As the weeks go on, Eva deals with morning sickness and Roger looks after her while charming his way through east London’s women. He develops an attachment to Eva and her baby as the biological father, however she is careful to shut down his involvement.
Kat, meanwhile, becomes increasingly distant, spending more time at the pub, running or repairing the boat. Roger confront her about her emotional detachment and her doubts about being a parent rise to the surface. This monumental life change drives a big wedge between the couple and they need to confront issues about themselves and the life they’ve made together. Notions of a more conventional, stable existence start to play on Eva’s mind. Can their love and friendship with Roger survive?
A formidable force in the film is Geraldine Chaplin (Oona’s real-life mum and daughter of the great Charlie Chaplin), an eccentric older hippy who takes a shine to Roger and seems to be the only family figure in their lives. A tense moment at the dinner table leads Kat to passionately defend their unconventional lifestyle to her, rejecting her concerns and the status quo set by past generations.
Anchor and Hope is a real love letter to London’s waterways, but also a relatable story of the complexity of relationships, pressures of parenthood and eventual personal growth.
Anchor and Hope is out now at selected cinemas. Watch the trailer here:
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