Film: Tyrannosaur

Renowned Scottish actor and director Peter Mullan takes the leading role in this downbeat drama which is the directorial debut of Paddy Considine, star of the brilliant Dead Man’s Shoes.

Mullan is Joseph, an abusive brutish drunk of a man who, through shared misery, befriends local charity shop worker Hannah (Olivia Colman).

Mullan and Colman are fantastic in their portrayals of a lonely man with nothing left to live for and an outwardly respectable woman who hides an alcohol problem and an abusive husband.

At times this is a difficult watch. I almost switched off after the sickening (and needless) opening scene but Mullan makes for compulsive viewing so I persevered and was rewarded with a film that demonstrates the remarkable acting skill of the two leads and heralds the arrival of Considine as a fine director.

Unfortunately the film drags the viewer into the constant depressing atmosphere shown and the lack of uplifting moments mean that as a whole, it fails to entertain.

Powerful and compelling but ultimately just too miserable.

Tyrannosaur is available on DVD now.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy

Film: NEDS

Scottish actor and director Peter Mullan casts a host of unknowns in this all too familiar story of a promising youngster being led astray.

The story is set in the Glasgow of 1972 where flared trousers and oversized shirt collars go hand in hand with the culture of drinking and gang violence.

I'd much prefer to see my home city portrayed on screen in a positive light. I can only think of one film, Late Night Shopping, which has done so.

In this film we have bored teenagers resorting to stabbing each other with little or no reason for their behaviour and absolutely no remorse, even from the main character.

This may present itself as a coming-of-age / redemption story but it's a pretty depressing and ugly film that depicts violence in a way not dissimilar to the recent I Spit on Your Grave remake (see review elsewhere here).

Some of the young cast give good performances but I have to wonder how much of a stretch it is for them as Mullan claims to have picked them from the type of streets shown in the film.

This will gain cult following from the very people it condemns and has already received rave reviews from some critics eager to show an understanding of disaffected youth.

Watchable and sometimes compelling but too often disheartening, this is more suited to tv than cinema and could potentially encourage impressionable viewers into the lifestyle shown.

Ric's Rating: 45%