This evocative debut feature from Max Morgan is a film of many contrasts. One is the May-December attraction between Otto (Daniel McNamee), a theology student and aspiring violinist, and John (Shaun Paul McGrath), a middle-aged fisher with a shadowy past. The worlds that they inhabit seem poles apart. Compared with the storm-ravaged Suffolk coast that curves around John’s rugged village, the imposing halls of Otto’s college at Oxford are at once grand and isolating. Despite their differences in age, the two men are bound by shared trauma and turmoil: both struggle with their sexuality and the loss of a loved one.

The highly textured cinematography renders these inner conflicts strikingly tactile. The camera at times stays uncomfortably close to the main characters, highlighting the gnawing anxiety of not belonging. From the demands of a frustrated girlfriend to the prying gaze of close-minded townsfolk, the film stacks these moments of unease to breaking point. Much emphasis is placed on minute gestures – a panicked gaze, a gentle touch of the hands – to communicate the gradual bonding of two unmoored souls.

Such thoughtful focus on the visuals is rare for a first film, even if Breakwater also stumbles over an issue that plagues many debuts: in trying to pack in numerous thematic concerns – class difference, family dysfunction, religious questioning – Morgan’s film resorts to expository dialogue to surface these intersecting narrative threads; this leads to a rushed denouement with a burst of catharsis that feels overly hurried. Still, McNamee and McGrath’s expressive performances lend an emotional weight to moments where the script falters. Considering Morgan’s distinctive eye for compositions and location shooting, this remains an assured first feature.

• Breakwater is on digital platforms from 11 May.