After releasing in 2019 and 2021 respectively, The Souvenir and The Souvenir Part II have both landed on BBC iPlayer, and the duo have become popular on the streaming service.

The films are a semi-autobiographical depiction of Joanna Hogg’s time at film school; the star wrote, produced and directed both films. The series deals with Julie’s (Honor Swinton Byrne) infatuation with an older man, Anthony (Tom Burke), while the second examines the fallout of their relationship.

The project marked the leading debut of Honor, who is the daughter of John Byrne and Tilda Swinton. The actress had previously only had a minor role in I Am Love, which was released ten years before The Souvenir.

The synopsis for the first film reads: “In 1980s London, film student Julie’s love for the suave Anthony brings disruption and heartache.”

However, fans will need to be quick, as they’re due to leave iPlayer before the end of February.

Reception

Critics loved the film, with The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw awarding it a five-star review. He penned: “The Souvenir is at least partly autobiographical on Hogg’s part, and it sometimes feels as if it is circling around and around a memory that is too painful to be approached directly, of an episode which arguably endangered her development as an artist and in another way stimulated it.

“But there is something so coolly elegant in this circling – a choreography of young love, and a talent preparing to take flight.”

Honor Swinton Byrne in a still from The Souvenir© BBC
Critics approved of the film

The film has a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with its consensus reading: “Made by a filmmaker in command of her craft and a star perfectly matched with the material, The Souvenir is a uniquely impactful coming of age drama.”

However, when it came to fans, many weren’t impressed, with its support falling all the way down to 37%. In a positive review, one wrote: “I found it spellbinding. I admit to being pretentious, and as such found this exceptional. We should treasure the fact that films like this are still being attempted – whether or not you liked it.”

Honor Swinton Byrne and Tom Burke in a still from The Souvenir© BBC
Honor and Tom play lovers in the first film

A second said: “I loved the cinematic direction they took in this film. I felt like I was looking into the memories of the protagonist. The faded dream-like colour scheme really pulls the film together. I was really lured into the soft pastel universe that was created on screen. Did I mention how much I loved the cinematics?”

However, criticising the film, a third mused: “While I’m normally a fan of this kind of production, The Souvenir did very little to draw me in. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I didn’t find it to be all that compelling or engaging. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see this film if I were you.“

Tom Burke and Honor Swinton Byrne in a still from The Souvenir© BBC
Fans voiced their concerns over the film

And a fourth commented: “I’ll be honest, I was a little shocked by how much I disliked this film. It’s rare for me to have such a negative reaction, especially about something that on the surface seems so up my alley. Part of me wonders what I missed here, because obviously the rest of the educated film world loved it.”

Who stars in The Souvenir?

Leading the film in both entries is Honor Swinton Byrne (A Very Royal Scandal), and she’s joined by her mother, Tilda Swinton (The Deep End) and Tom Burke (Strike).

Honr Swinton Byrne and Tilda Swinton in The Souvenir Part II© BBC
Honor stars in the film alongside her mum, Tilda

Also featuring in the cast were Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd), Jack McMullen (This City Is Ours), Ariane Labed (The Brutalist) and Tosin Cole (Doctor Who).

Joining the cast in the second entry were Harris Dickinson (Where the Crawdads Sing), Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) and Joe Alwyn (Conversations with Friends).