Spousal abuse is definitely no laughing matter. Many times, it is not obvious at first that somebody is being abused at home, and bruises and scrapes are often blamed on clumsy “accidents†like falling down. The image is a disturbing one for sure, and if we had a glimpse into the lives of an abusive household, many of us may not be able to stand the sight of it all.
Only a few minutes in, Tyrannosaur gives us more than just a look inside an abusive household. The film opens on Peter Mullan as extreme grumpy old man named Joseph, who has so many pent up emotions that he is shown beating his dog to death and threatening minorities as well as kids at the local pub for no apparent reason. After one particular incident, he runs off into a shop run by Hannah, a religious woman with a darker secret, played by Olivia Colman.
The beginning half of Tyrannosaur is definitely hard to watch for people not expecting some pretty senseless anger and violence. As a matter of fact, at least ten people walked out of the movie—especially at the scene where Hanna’s husband urinates on her for falling asleep on the couch. Truth is, if these people would have stayed through the shocking images, they would have grown to feel a deeper connection to the characters, especially Joseph, who really isn’t as horrible as he seems at first.
Mullan does an excellent job at playing a disgruntled old man with a troubled past. Joseph explains at one point to Hannah that his wife was a large woman that he called a “tyrannosaur†because the ground would shake as she walked up the stairs—he admits he was a “cunt†to her and many people around him. Throughout the movie, however, Joseph begins to fall in love with Hannah as he helps her run away from her husband and the horrible home life. It quickly becomes a love story as well as the story of how Joseph finally begins a new, kinder life.
Of course the both films problems and success lie in the dark imagery and seemingly pointless violence. Director Paddy Considine’s brutal honesty about these characters’ lives leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. He isn’t afraid to show a man beating a dog to death (obviously obscured from view) or a woman being raped by her sex-crazed husband. The violence gives us a better understanding of each character’s motivations for their ultimate changes—in a sense, Joseph and Hannah switch roles but also become each other’s savior. On the other hand, though, it is somewhat understandable that some people may find it a bit too intense to take in one sitting.
While it may not be the easiest film to watch, Tyrannosaur is a great first film for Considine, and the actors portray their characters’ troubled lives perfectly. Joseph’s rage at times is definitely overdone, but Hannah’s story is more harrowing and keeps the plot flowing. Looking past the dramatic images and at times cheap violent shots, you’ll find yourself drawn to Hannah more than Joseph, though Joseph’s rebirth through helping the troubled woman is just as commendable a feat. Considine has the ability to tell a strong story for sure, and he will definitely grow as a filmmaker if he learns to step a little further back from the imagery and focus on the emotion.
Tyrannosaur screened on Friday evening at the Nantucket Film Festival and is set for theatrical release in the U.K. in October 2011. The film marks actor Paddy Considine’s directorial debut.
This article originally appeared on AllMediaNY.com
Since I have eclectic tastes when it comes to movies, music, books and even live events like plays, I like reading the reviews of things that are slightly away from the mainstream. Even though I had never heard of “Tyrannosaur” before, the subject matter, the director and the actors mentioned in the review had me convinced to give this film a chance. I guess most nights or whenever I get a chance to read the reviews, there is usually something new or interesting I like. Hopefully this will always be the case.