Tyrannosaur - Film Review

Having cautiously tested the waters of directing with his impressive short film Dog Altogether, actor turned auteur Paddy Considine here adapts the brief but memorable slice into an even more distinctive, rivetting and haunting full film.

Bringing back Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman to reprise their roles, Considine expands on the story of self destructive rage and loneliness, tapping into a very dark, very despairing but ultimately authentic glimpse at those lost in the mire of their lives.

Mullan is Joseph, an angry and alcoholic widower who lives alone and picks up benefit cheques, his only companionship represented by his loyal dog Bluey and his friends, the bed ridden, dying James (Robin Butler), and the dispirate, manky Irishman Tommy (Ned Dennehy). After one of his borderline psychotic episodes, Joseph kicks Bluey to death, an uncontrolled attack that depresses him further. After a further moment of madness, where he sets upon a group of young men in a pub, he runs off and hides in a clothes shop owned and run by a kind and patient, God fearing woman named Hannah (Colman), who houses him and even prays for him.

With his existence otherwise aimless, Joseph begins visiting Hannah for company, despite his reservations about her good nature. However, while he begins to see her as respresenting a form of good in the world, her life is just as miserable. Her husband James (Eddie Marsan) abuses her, culminating in beatings and worse, feeding off and exploiting her patience and inability to defend herself, and soon it is she who is seeking comfort from Joseph, far from a stable pillar to lean upon, as she tries to find escape and he tries to control and quell the anger that is destroying him, just when he seemingly needs it the most.

Given that Tyrannosaur represents Considine's first foray into directing (though he is no stranger to scipting, having written Dead Man's Shoes), it makes sense to start by taking a look at his chops behind the camera. And, by God, he has some and a half. A masterful actor, Considine displays just how much he was paying attention during filming by delivering one of the most impressive and confident debut efforts in recent memory. Aside from the poignant, powerful and convincing screenplay, what Considine brings to Tyrannosaur is an astute focus on small details, significant and almost subconscious touches, as well as excellent pacing and some superb filmmaking choices. Such care is put into every scene, of establishing facts before revelation through subtle reaction shots, use of sound and framing of shots.

And of course, his work brings out the best in some truly gifted actors, with the two leads dominating proceedings. Already an undoubtedly brilliant actor, particularly in roles suited towards aggression and unpredictability, Peter Mullan is sizzling on screen here, a menacing ball of fury who evokes fear in the audience, but also summons a puzzling, paradoxical sympathy from the same viewer. As convincing and downright terrifying each psychological break is, more troubling and emotive is the comedown afterwards, the sight of his face slowly dropping as he realises what he has just done. Any kind of positive energy stems from the actor, and each and every drop of regret and heartbreak from his aggression is a construct of the finesses, careful performance.

While Mullan is wonderful, the real revelation of the film is Olivia Colman, an actress previously known primarily for comedic roles. As the good natured but emotionally crumbling Hannah, she is simply unforgetable, provoking protective instincts in any right minded soul who watches her suffering, and longs for her victory, to get away from the horror of her home and the soul destroying work by her worse half. One pivotal scene in particular, the climax of her story, is earth shattering in it's primal, desperate and horrifically tempered honesty.

While the story may sound like a perfect remedy for undue optimism, there is an inexplicable sense of hope within it, with the focus more on how we can find a degree of happiness in the most unlikely of places, and how things can work out for the better in a manner far from obvious at first glance. A subplot about the film, involving Joseph's semi-friendship with neighbourhood kid Samuel (Sam Bottomley) and the reign of terror of Sam's mother's boyfriend's vicious attack dog has a full arc, with a disturbing and stark conclusion that, for all it's questionable ethics, has a satisfaction about it. Though at times we yearn to see Joseph turn the full force of his rage against certain people, at the same time we hope he doesn't because of the self-destructive force such action would have on him. All his instincts are stemmed and tempered by his friendship with Hannah, and we want to see him become a better person through her.

Like most efforts of this kind, there is a hint of semi-autobiography about Tyrannosaur, and the soulfulness of Considine's work is clear to see. But for all the clear endeavour and heart he pours into every frame of film, there is a technical mastery and genius understanding of the process that is sure to put him in very good stead for the future. Since he has stated his desire to go the long haul behind the camera, and begin packing in the acting altogether, this opinion will be sternly tested and, in my opinion, validated. If his first effort is anything to go by, we have potential beyond measure on our hands.

Brought to the screen in gritty but beautiful manner, realistic yet optimistic at the same time, Tyrannosaur is a world class effort and a triumph for a first time director, an established screen master and a novice dramatic actress who has similarly found a new, hugely impressive talent. For all the murky depression and despair, it is a moving and inspiring film, one that will linger on the mind for a long time, and not unwelcome at that.

However, be warned, there are no dinosaurs to be seen.


9/10