Review of Beast

Nobody in front of that lens has the weight that Jessie Buckley brings to her role, except, perhaps, Olwen Foure, the mother, but, the script doesn't give her the opportunity to establish her presence that way and Foure has the sense to restrain her delivery without the script. However, this is a worse problem with Johnny Flynn, who does get a chance in how the script works, but delivers basic vacuity. I suppose someone will make the counter-point that vapid presence is the point of Pascal Renouf and that would justify the emptiness in his face when the camera lingers there a little too long. It still just does feel as though this film needed more of an interpersonally dynamic context, not too strong, but strong enough to highlight the unusual jewel that Buckley gives to it.