Tyrannosaur

Wow. This film is one of the ugliest and saddest films I have ever seen. It is uncomfortable, hard to sit through and very, very depressing. But it is also one the best films I have seen. The cinematography is bleak and foreboding. The dialogue is harsh and full of swear words. And the characters are... well, let's just say they are some of the truest characters I have ever seen, with some of the best acing ever in any movie.

Now, this is not a pretty film. The story opens with Joseph (Peter Mullan) kicking his dog so hard that he kills it. And from there it gets worse. Joe meets a woman named Hannah (Olivia Colman), who works in a charity  shop, and slowly they begin a rocky friendship. I don't want to spoil the film, though if you see the trailer you have some idea, but what I will say is that Hannah is married to and aggressive and aggresive man. If you want more clues, watch the trailer.

This tragedy is one of the saddest films I have seen in a long while. I'm not joking when I say I wasin tears from the very beginning. But I found myself crying during the happier scenes, because the film builds such a sense of melancholy that you know whatever happy scenes there are you know they won't last long.

In terms of acting, I cannot believe that it took so long for people to give Olivia Colman a leading role in a film. Her acting here so perfectly captured the pain that Hannah feels, and the reluctant acceptance she has in a loveless and abused life.  For those who only know Colman from comedy roles, like Hot Fuzz and Peep Show, the depth she show in this dramatic turn may shock. In this film she is a woman on the edge, driven crazy by her abusive husband. Peter Mullan is also amazing as a man unable to deal with his grief and guilt and anger, who just seems to be waiting for his life to end on a downward spiral.

When these two characters meet, it is understanding and kindness that Hannah gives Joeseph. But as the film goes on these roles become reveresed as Hannah becomes more dependent on Joe. Remember when I said that these were some of the truest characters? Well, by that I mean that these characters are some of the most human characters to be portrayed on film. Neither of these characters are perfect, or even good people. They both have bad qualities and good. But you feel sympthatic, and in most cases empathetic, towards them because you realise that they are good people who just have trouble hiding their flaws and finding someone to connect with, and are mostly trying to survive each day.

One interesting and unique thing that the film does is  the way it presents Christianity. Most Christians in films are portrayed as pious and overbearing. But Hannah, the Christian in this film, is kind and helpful, and looks out for others, possibly more so than herself. But as the film progresses, we see that she is struggling to remain true to her faith, and it becomes clear that she uses her faith as a mask to try and find comfort from the things that happen to her.

The only thing bad I have to say about the film is the ending. Tyrannosaur was originally a short film that got expanded, and the thing about short films is that they tend to end rather ambiguously because of their length. Now, I haven't seen the short film, but if I just say that the full-length film doesn't end so ambiguously, you should be able to fill in the blanks. I found that I had the same disappointment from the explained endings of some of the horror films I've seen. But in all honesty, the film couldn't have ended any other way.

Will I explain the symbolic and cryptic title? No, not the whole way. What you do need to know, is that the Tyrannosaur is not who you think it is, and you should be able to figure it out all yourself. I strongly urge everyone to try to see this film if they can. It's not for everyone, but hopefully there is something for you connect with. I'll say it again that is is not a nice film. It is incredibly bleak, and quite violent and intense. But it is heartwarming and will remain in your head long after you've seen it.