One of the characters in Marmalade starts a story with the infamous phrase "Once upon a time," only to be swiftly shut down by his companion. This isn't a fairytale, and there isn't time for sentimental wanderings. And yet, Marmalade soon defies expectations, even when you might guess where things are going. Director Keir O'Donnell, who also wrote the script, starts out in a rather conventional place, but lures us into a false sense of security. I thought I had Marmalade all worked out in my head and even found myself relaxing into the predictable series of events before I was forced to sit up and pay closer attention.
