Every Christopher Nolan Movie, Ranked

13. Following (1998)

Nolan's directorial debut, Following, has all the hallmarks of a first-time filmmaker struggling to find their voice and balance the ideas they wish to explore. It's also quintessential Nolan, a twisty tale of deceit packed with the trademarks that would become his calling cards - non-linear storytelling, surreal twists, and complicated men on a deeply personal mission. 

Following - which concerns a young writer (Jeremy Theobald) drawn into the compelling orbit of a serial burglar (Alex Haw) who steals from the rich to make them appreciate their lives - is a dark, brooding character study, one that Nolan injects with genuine dread and an inevitable sense of doom that still rips the ground from under you once it all comes crashing down.

A moral tale of obsession and betrayal, Following is ambitious and quite thrilling, though it's also awkward, lumbering in its pace and unsure of itself. It cost next-to-nothing to produce, and, while timid in comparison with the films left to come, is still a must-see for anyone hoping to understand what makes Christopher Nolan tick.