Tyrannosaur
2011
*½
Director: Paddy Considine
Cast: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Paul Popplewell, Sally Carman
An unemployed middle-aged widower Joseph is filled with anger. The only person who doesn't judge him outright is Hannah, a religious shopkeeper, whose own life is hell. Paddy Considine's writing and directing debut is a gut-wrenchingly unpleasant kitchen sink drama. Joseph kicks his dog to death in the opening minutes. Hannah is married to a monster who, at his kindest, urinates on her while she sleeps. Their lives are miserable and it's everybody's fault but their own. The film deals with such extreme situations and marginal characters that it's hard to care about anyone and even harder to see a point to their story. The great performances by Mullan and Colman are the saving grace.
