Beside the Seaside: A strange, salty trip back to the 1930s

Is it worth your time?

If you want a plot, look elsewhere. Beside the Seaside is for the kind of person who likes to sit on a park bench and just watch strangers go by. If you need explosions or a tight script, you’re gonna hate this. It’s quiet, it’s windy, and it feels like a dream you had about a vacation you never took.

The whole thing captures that specific 1930s British vibe where everyone is trying to have a good time despite the weather. You can almost smell the fish and chips and the damp wool sweaters. It’s got that weird, grainy texture that makes you feel like you’re squinting against the sun.

Bits and Pieces

W.H. Auden wrote this, and you can tell. It’s poetic but in a way that feels like a bunch of random scribbles on a napkin. One minute you’re listening to a lady complain about her tea, and the next you’re watching kids scramble over rocks. It’s oddly absorbing.

I found myself zoning out during the long shots of the tide coming in. Sometimes the audio cuts out, or the voices overlap, and it just feels... real. Like a mistake, but a good one. It reminds me a bit of the aimless wandering you see in Happiness, just with more sand.

• The sound of the wind is louder than the people half the time.
• There’s a shot of a hat blowing away that I think was totally unplanned.
• Marion Taylor looks like she’s having a genuinely miserable time, which is hilarious.
• The editing feels like someone threw the film strips on the floor and put them back together in the dark.

I’ve seen plenty of old films, but this one sticks in your brain because it refuses to explain itself. It doesn't care if you're keeping up. It just exists. It’s like watching a home movie belonging to a ghost. 🌊

It’s not as polished as the stuff you see in Baby Mine, but that’s the point, I guess. It’s messy. It’s human. Sometimes it’s just a bit boring, but then you catch a look on someone's face and you're hooked again.

Don't look for a lesson here. There isn't one. Just enjoy the salt air and the weird, fragmented dialogue. It’s a nice break from the loud stuff.