Paddy Considine is a recognizable face onscreen thanks to memorable (and diametrically opposed) turns in movies like Dead Man’s Shoes and Hot Fuzz. You may also recognize him from recent (and fantastic) movies like Red Riding 1980, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Submarine. After years of toiling in supporting roles and the occasional lead Considine has taken a step back behind the camera for his feature directorial debut, Tyrannosaur.
The film stars Peter Mullan (pictured above) as an angry drunken Irishman prone to violence and verbal meanness, and yes, Mullan is at risk of being typecast. He meets a woman who’s seen her fair share of violence and pain but still manages to hold onto a forgiving and caring heart. The two become friends, for lack of a better term, but her abusive husband (Eddie Marsan) suspects there’s more to their relationship.
Check out the clip below to see the three fantastic actors play off each other with dialogue and even more powerful silence.
I won’t ruin what happens next as the film has some surprises in store for viewers who think they know exactly how this sad trifecta will end up, but you will be engaged through the final frame. It’s a beautifully told tale that weaves drama, suspense and sadness into a story of people at their lowest. But it also has just enough heart and hope in there to make the light at the end seem a little bit closer.
Tyrannosaur hit DVD today, and I can’t recommend it enough. It made my Pick of the Week in today’s DVD column for a reason as it finds real drama and heartache without once dipping into melodrama or unrelenting bleakness. Mullan has actually directed a few films as well including the excellent NEDS which charts another abusive situation and the boy trying to escape it.