‘Tyrannosaur’ is a gargantuan effort from Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman
There may be no finer performances of the past year than Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman’s powerful turns in Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine’s directorial debut. The 91-minute movie is a harsh look at violent people stuck in difficult circumstances. Its washed-out look matches the personalities of its central characters. Joseph (Mullan) has checked off many of the sad attributes of a middle-aged man: unemployed, widowed, alcoholic and angry. He meets his match in Hannah (Colman), a devoted Christian who runs a charity shop in town. Together, the two begin an uneasy friendship/relationship that is constantly tested by their inability to find positivity in life.
Hannah is stuck in a horrible marriage to James (Eddie Marsan). He beats her on a regular basis, and she largely takes the abuse with crying eyes and winces of pain. The treatment in this toxic relationship is difficult to bear. Our first image of James is when he stumbles home drunk and decides to urinate on his sleeping wife. It gets progressively worse from there.
Joseph can’t hold his liquor, and he faces dire consequences for his bonehead actions. After leaving a pub late one night, he kicks his dog to death and decides to bury him in the backyard of his small house.
Tyrannosaur is not a comedy. There are few glimmers of hope and sunshine that emanate through the film, but when more somber moments occur, they overwhelm the audience with their power. Despite everything, Joseph and Hannah are two good people missing the necessary tools to carry them away from their present circumstances. As audience members, we route for their success and hope they never lose hope.
Mullan, who is a director himself, turns in one of the fiercest, most believable performances of any actor in years. He’s gruff, rude and belligerent, yet he couples these emotions with a palpable hurt. It becomes clear that he’s a soul in need of help, that he still has not overcome the death of his wife. Mullan, with a grizzled beard and acid tongue, finds the right balance for the character. One never knows whether to trust Joseph or run in the opposite direction.
Colman is equally impressive. She plays her part with such resignation in the first part that it’s difficult to watch. Seeing Hannah take so much abuse, with very little standing up for herself, is a sad, sad experience. One wants to reach out and save her, taking her away from her husband and his empty promises. When she meets up with Joseph, their connection is one of shared violence. They both know what it means to be cut, and they both know how to cut themselves. Theirs is a friendship born of ire and clenched fists.
Marsan, who frequently plays these unbecoming characters, makes it easy to hate James. He’s vile and manipulative, and the actor plays him with almost perfect malignancy. It’s a solid supporting role that will turn the stomach of any audience member.
Considine, best known to American audiences as the main actor in Jim Sheridan’s In America, expanded Tyrannosaur from his short film, Dog Altogether (which is included on the new DVD release from Strand Releasing). As a first-time director, he shows an uncommon skill for finely focusing the action on his central characters. He’s dealing with difficult subject matter, but never glorifies the violence. Hannah, Joseph and James are realistic characters in need of lifeboats. Considine writes them with minimal, slang-riddled language, and he directs them with an “of-the-streets” mentality, as if the camera is simply set up to capture these violent scenes.
Tyrannosaur is one of the strongest directorial debuts in recent memory, and its power resonates for many days. It’s almost impossible to shake the hurt and pain that come from these characters.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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Tyrannosaur
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2011
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Written and directed by Paddy Considine; based on his short film, Dog Altogether
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Starring Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan
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Running time: 91 minutes
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Not Rated
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Rating:
