Tyrannosaur

Tyrannosaur

(Paddy Considine, 2011)

Rating: 4/5

Reviewed by Dave Lancaster

Summary: A harsh, gripping and brutally real relationship tragedy from debut filmmaker Paddy Considine, 'Tyrannosaur' soars.
 

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Paddy Considine has been a magnetic, if overlooked, screen presence for some time now, cropping up in gritty dramas such as 'Dead Man's Shoes' and 'Last Resort' while backing them up with more commercial fare like 'Blitz' and 'In America'. Now he's behind the camera and he's even better.

'Tyrannosaur' expands on his short film from 2007 called 'Dog Altogether' to become a full feature, retaining its core cast of Peter Mullan as rage-driven Joseph and Olivia Colman as Hannah a walked-over charity shop employee both struggling to connect.

Entering the mix for the film version is Eddie Marsan who plays Hannah's abusive husband. Joseph suffers a different kind of ongoing heartache - his wife is dead and his friend dying.

He takes it out on anybody and anything. One heartbreaking scene shows him seeing red and retaliating on his helplessly loyal dog. He instantly regrets it but can't help it. The pain that registers on Mullan's face is so affecting, it will cut you deep. Colman is just as expressive.

Under Considine's strong direction, they take his cheerless script and inject real humanity to it. This could've been passed off as grim melodrama better suited as a relic that nods back to the kitchen sink dramas that Britain did well decades ago. Seen through this new visionary director, we are granted a look into a darkened contemporary Britain that's as relevant as Shane Meadow's 'This Is England'. Essential.

Check out the trailer for 'Tyrannosaur' right here at Cinemas Online.

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