Tyrannosaur [DVD]

TYRANNOSAUR
(dir. Paddy Considine/91 minutes)

Paddy Considine's directorial debut was the big winner at last week's British Independent Film Awards, picking up trophies for Best Director, Best Actress and Best Film. And rightly so. It's a remarkable film about beasts and monsters that pulls no punches. It's unrelentingly unpleasant; one (graphic) scene towards the beginning drew a collective gasp of horror from the audience in the cinema. It tells the story of `tyrannosaur' Joseph, characteristically played with blistering rage by Peter Mullan. Joseph is a violent, bitter, alcoholic widower, full of anger and pain. He meets Hannah (a stunning performance by Olivia Coleman), an all-round good egg (she's a devout Christian working in a charity shop, what more proof do you need that she's a good person?) who takes Joseph under her wing and helps him on the road to recovery and redemption. It all sounds a bit predictable written down on the page like that, but the execution is far from predictable as Hannah is hiding something equally terrible about her own life. All the performances are standout (Eddie Marsan makes a distinct impression in his limited screen time as Hannah's monstrous husband James). Casting Coleman, primarily known as a comedy actress in Peep Show, Rev and Green Wing among others, was a masterstroke as she's so warm and nice that you just want to give her a hug. She'll break your heart. That's a promise.

Tyrannosaur is a powerful award-winning drama about a man who suffers from terrible outbursts of rage who, after one public outburst, dashes into a charity shop and hides. There, he is consoled by a religious woman who prays for him. Sounds like the comfortable sort of Christian drama that you might watch on a Sunday afternoon, doesn't it? Well, it isn't. Joseph (Peter Mullan) kicks his dog to death in a fit of rage within the first few minutes of the movie, his language is strong and relentless throughout, and Hannah (Olivia Colman), despite her Christianity and her charity, is a battered wife who suffers the most despicable physical abuse by her husband, James (Eddie Marsan).

If you can take the disturbing elements of this movie, then you will watch an exceptional drama that, for me, dragged up all sorts of emotions. I was repelled by Joseph and his tirades. I was angry with Hannah for not going to the police and having her nightmare of a husband put away. I was frustrated by them both. And I could not stop watching the drama unfold and it was relentless and I didn't come away from it happy, or relieved. But it did get me thinking how lucky I am to live in my world that is not theirs and it did make me hope that that never changes. There but for the grace of God go I, as the saying goes.

Tyrannosaur has beaten Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy in the British Independent Film Awards. I don't know if I could ever watch it again. If I do, it won't be any time soon. But it's a powerful movie, an exceptional one and certainly, I think, deserves watching once.

Written and directed by Paddy Considine who is also an actor. He starred in The Cry of the Owl (2009) and Dead Man's Shoes (2004) which he also wrote. Watch out for Peter Mullan and Eddie Marsan in Steven Spielsberg's The War Horse (2011). Eddie Marsan also appeared in London Boulevard (2010), also starring Colin Farrell. Olivia Colman plays Carol Thatcher in the 2011 movie The Iron Lady about Margaret Thatcher.

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Simply put this is the film of 2011. Within the opening minutes the viewer is aware that Joseph (Peter Mullan) is one seriously horrible piece of work. He is a torrent of rage and abuse waiting to explode and it takes little to set him off. Yet beneath all the twisted hatred, exists a man fully aware of his actions and perhaps that is what fuels his angry outbursts. Without a doubt Mullan's performance is stunning as a man at war with himself and everyone around him. Despite his chaotic world of booze and the odd eruption of violence, he has a soft spot which is found by Hannah (Olivia Coleman).

Again, its a powerful performance and Coleman is excellent as the charity shop worker who extends the hand of friendship to the volatile Joseph. As horrible as Joseph may be, he pales in comparison to Hannah's vile husband. Joseph can at least see his faults and doesn't hide behind a facade as a nice guy whilst actually being loathsome. As the film progresses more and more little pieces of Joseph's past become clear but beneath his obvious faults is a man who can feel for those suffering needless abuse.

The film is not for those easily offended by some choice language, this is gritty realism which pulls no punches. There are also a couple of uncomfortable scenes involving cruelty to animals although in one case it may be entirely justified seen through the eyes of Joseph.

All in all this is probably the best film I have seen this year and is incredibly powerful stuff so hats off to Mr Considine and all involved. Rough going but thoroughly captivating.