Slap

 Slap

Setting: The film is set in a Northern industrial setting, and has a gloomy, dingy feel, which is often supported by the lighting. The setting is important as it's not a very accepting neighborhood, which we understand from the start when we see people beating up his friend, and when everyone was laughing at him during the party. This is effective in adding a greater sense of risk to what he's doing and we understand the stakes.

The set is also greatly detailed, especially in the way Connor's house is decorated. In his room we see magazines and posters of women,  in his kitchen there's a calendar with firefighters on it, and on the condom machine in the bathroom, the word stud is written on it. These are all very archetypal male things, with the firefighters connoting the idea of heroes, providers, and saviours. These contrast with Connor's identity and show how he hides his true self, and therefore the audience sympathises more with his situation

Performance: One of the moments that sticks out in this film is the argument scene between Connor and Lola. The scene is incredibly well written, and well performed because they focus on the little things, like when Lola realsies that it's her make up that he's been using. We see the entire argument and the big picture all come down to this one token of feminine identity, which well represents the overall meaning of the film.

Lighting and colour:

The green lighting during the bathroom scene connotes a feeling of uneasiness, and sickness. And the general grey colour over the whole film feels almost suffocating. Connor's makeup stands out against the grey colour palette of the rest of the film, because he's visually coded as trying to escape from the drabness.