'Thriller' is a wide ranging movie genre - you have those that use straight up blood & gore to heighten the tension and then there are the thrillers like Last Exit (Little Bone Lodge) which use a combination of character development, a slow burning storyline & clever plot twists to hold the viewer's attention.
This is a very tidy English thriller which considering has such a small cast & very limited locations does a good job at maintaining the tension throughout & keeping you engaged.
Nice effort from Neil Linpow, who not only wrote the screenplay but also takes on one of the key male roles of Jack. He has a visceral intensity that translates really well through the screen & his ruthless frustration in this film is palpable. Also a tidy performance by Harry Cadby as his character's tormented but childlike brother Matty too. It's clear Matty has some significant psychological issues but the exact nature of these are left mostly to our imagination, suffice to say it becomes apparent that Jack has tried to look out for his little brother throughout their lives but the path they have ended up on is far from smooth sailing.
By far the standout has to be Joely Richardson in the main role of Mama and what a Mama she is! What appears at first to be an over-protective, attentive but controlling maternal approach, towards everyone, is revealed to be something else entirely as the film moves into the third act. Richardson's experience shows through with her expert control of her emotions only to flip them when the situation requires it...or when she is provoked. Once you realise what her true motivation is all the puzzle pieces from earlier on start to fall into place & from then on the film's pace is unrelenting, plus the ending is a nice unexpected twist.
No matter what kind of thriller you enjoy, give this a go, even if it's not your ultimate film there's plenty here to keep you engaged for the 90 min runtime.
This is a very tidy English thriller which considering has such a small cast & very limited locations does a good job at maintaining the tension throughout & keeping you engaged.
Nice effort from Neil Linpow, who not only wrote the screenplay but also takes on one of the key male roles of Jack. He has a visceral intensity that translates really well through the screen & his ruthless frustration in this film is palpable. Also a tidy performance by Harry Cadby as his character's tormented but childlike brother Matty too. It's clear Matty has some significant psychological issues but the exact nature of these are left mostly to our imagination, suffice to say it becomes apparent that Jack has tried to look out for his little brother throughout their lives but the path they have ended up on is far from smooth sailing.
By far the standout has to be Joely Richardson in the main role of Mama and what a Mama she is! What appears at first to be an over-protective, attentive but controlling maternal approach, towards everyone, is revealed to be something else entirely as the film moves into the third act. Richardson's experience shows through with her expert control of her emotions only to flip them when the situation requires it...or when she is provoked. Once you realise what her true motivation is all the puzzle pieces from earlier on start to fall into place & from then on the film's pace is unrelenting, plus the ending is a nice unexpected twist.
No matter what kind of thriller you enjoy, give this a go, even if it's not your ultimate film there's plenty here to keep you engaged for the 90 min runtime.