Tyrannosaur

Tyrannosaur is the fantastic debut film from actor Paddy Considine. The film focuses on the lives of two people who are bought together through their mutual loneliness and apathy towards life. Joseph (Peter Mullan (NEDS)) is an unemployed drunk, a violent man who is on a path to destruction. After killing his dog in a fit of rage he seeks shelter in a charity shop where he meets Hannah, (Olivia Coleman) a Christian charity worker for whom life seems good but as we learn more about her we discover that she is just as damaged as Joseph, if not more so.

This is not an easy film to watch. It is most definitely not a Friday night popcorn kind of movie. It features abuse, degradation and violence from the onset and that sets the tone for the rest of the film. Some scenes are very upsetting and difficult to watch. Despite the despair and humiliation on screen, the film looks very beautiful. The shots of council estates on cloudy days are stunning. Considine has found beauty in a place which is known for being ugly and grotty and that is a testament to him.

The acting is tremendous. There has already been a lot written about Olivia Coleman’s award snubs and having seen the film, I couldn’t agree more. I’d also put forward the case for Peter Mullan who is equally sublime here. Both actors are incredible throughout and that is what makes the film so great. I don’t know whether the film would have been so good had they not been involved. I really feel that it is a travesty that neither has been nominated for any major awards. This being said, both have won awards but it’s their lack of BAFTA and Oscar nominations that has surprised everybody, me included.  

This is a film which can hardly be described as enjoyable but is powerful and incredibly well acted.

8/10

NEDS

NEDS or Non-Educated Delinquents is the third film from actor, writer and director Peter Mullan. It is the story of a bright young Glaswegian boy who is corrupted by his surroundings, turning him into a psychopathic thug. Its lead Conor McCarron plays John McGill, a boy who studies hard and appears to be heading for an illustrious future. As the film progresses, McGill’s personal situation at home along with pressure from the area in which he lives drives him to become a leading member of a local gang and in turn he goes on to commit terrible acts of brutality and violence. 

The film has the look and feel of the mid 1970s in which it is set. I don’t know how it was done but the film has the grainy look of a 1970’s TV show and the colour pallet, set design and costumes and all superb. Mullan has also managed to capture the bleak hopelessness of a 1970s Glasgow council estate. Apathy is found not only in its youth but also in the adult characters such as McGill’s father, played by Mullan and his teachers.

Conor McCarron gives a sublime performance as John McGill, a boy whose boredom and anger lead violence. He is equally convincing as a knife wielding thug as he is as a book-worm school kid. His transformation from the latter to the former is both outstanding and terrifying. The rest of the cast are also very good. McGill’s gang is made up of well defined characters who beef up the feeling of apathy and boredom. The script is convincing and the dialogue sharp and realistic. I must admit to missing the odd word or phrase due to the thick Glaswegian accents which also help to give the film its realism.  

NEDS is a fantastic and often brutal look into the world of the 1970s delinquent and has many parallels with the world of the NEDS of today.

8/10