The Cry of the Owl (2009)

"The Cry of the Owl" is a strange little movie featuring profoundly odd characters who perplexed the bejeezus out of me. It's a movie that grows on you once you get behind the rhythm of the storytelling. Paddy Considine, an actor who I absolutely love and have enormous respect for, plays a slightly awkward and rather lonely divorcee by the name of Robert Forrester, who routinely spies on a local woman (Julia Stiles,) watching her house from a hiding spot in the woods.

   Robert is caught by the girl, whose name is Jenny Thierouf, and she rather perplexingly invites him into her house, where she lives alone, her solitary life occasionally interrupted by the appearances of her boyfriend, Greg Wyncoop (James Gilbert.) It soon becomes apparent that she is to some degree fascinated with Robert's creepy interest in her.

   Unfortunately for Robert, Greg is the jealous type who proceeds to make Robert suffer, even after Jenny tells Greg under no uncertain terms that their relationship is over. When Greg attacks Robert and promptly goes missing,  poor Robert finds himself ostracized at every turn, and worse, a murder suspect.

   Based on a book by Patricia Highsmith, the film features interesting and well-written characters, from whom you never know quite what to expect. Robert displays inappropriate social behavior and never seems quite comfortable in his own skin at any given time, and it takes us some time to decide whether he is essentially harmless or a dangerous wacko. With her clipped monotone and bizarre segues, Jenny is a fragile soul, and although you feel kind of bad for her, you certainly don't trust her.

   The first thing I noticed was the unevenness of Paddy's American accent. Otherwise, he is very good as an introvert whose creepy nighttime activities have put him in hot water at work and home. Julia Stiles initially comes off as a rather stiff and uninterested presence, but we gradually warm up to her acting style, which ultimately fits the character.

   "The Cry of the Owl" is a slow burner, with a rather abrupt ending, that may appeal perfectly to some audiences and confound and alienate others. I liked the offbeat characters and I was sucked into the mystery plot. Not for all tastes, and it may need time to grow on you, but otherwise, an entertaining thriller.
                                                              Rating-
                                                   7.0/10

A Room For Romeo Brass (1999)

Shane Meadows knows how to do a slow-burner. One of Britain's most powerful filmmakers, Meadows is a master of racketing up the tension in a seemingly ordinary situation. Never stupid, never sensational, he casts his unblinking eye on modern life in the UK and the fragilities of human relationships. If I had to choose between Meadows and Mike Leigh, I would pick Meadows, every time.

   "A Room For Romeo Brass" is about how an ordinary friendship can undergo extraordinary duress when a dangerous third party is added to the mix. Two preteen friends, white Gavin and mixed-race Romeo share a brotherly bond that is equal parts camaraderie and constant teasing. Gavin (Ben Marshall,) called 'Knocks,' has a bad back and a limp, and is in transition to another surgery.

   He's always up to a bit of mischief, and Romeo (Andrew Shim) is his softer-hearted other half. When a man named Morell (a very young Paddy Considine) rescues Gavin and Romeo from some bigger boys, he seems like a harmless, if eccentric, addition to the group. With his 'Simple Jack' haircut and halting speech, he doesn't readiate 'cool,'but he is friendly and can tell a sensational story like anyone.

   The thing about these kinds of stories is, if they sound too good to be true they probably are, but this matters nada to the boys and one of them, Romeo, is sucked in by his dynamic personality. Gavin thinks that Morell is a sucker and good for a mean practical joke. He's deadly wrong. As Morell reveals a dark, violent side, Romeo and Gavin's friendship is tested to it's outer limits.

 Shane Meadows found two good little actors in Shim and Marshall, but Considine is the main draw here. Considine, who would later astonish audiences, including myself, in Shane Meadows' grungy revenge indie "Dead Man's Shoes", puts a unique spin on a character who is probably suffering from an undiagnosed mental disorder.

   Like "Sling Blade"'s Karl or"Buddy Boy"s Francis, Morell's uniqueness is electrifying to watch. At times I was wowed by this apparently simple man's ability to coerce and manipulate, and wondered if his limitations were a ruse and he was, in fact, a very clever psychopath. The truth is much more complicated.

   Wait for the precise moment when the up-til-then likably dotty Morrel becomes suddenly sinister. It's mind-blowing. "A Room for Romeo Brass" glues your eyes to the screen, and tells a intense story about friendship and betrayal, about a wolf in sheep's clothing who fleetingly wins- if not earns- our sympathy nonetheless. With it's three-dimensional characters and incisive writing, it's nothing less than riviting. Bravo, Shane Meadows. Keep them coming.
                                                      Rating- 
                                                  9.0/10

Dead Man's Shoes (2004)

   Bloody and brilliant, "Dead Man's Shoes" is an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. The 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is both a crying shame and a sacrilege, because this is Shane Meadows' masterpiece -- a film that transcends the revenge genre, delivering a heart-pounding, intense story that lets events unfold in a way that is anything but simple.

   Richard (Paddy Considine) returns home from military service with no intention of living a nice quiet life and settling down. The target of his rage: a low-rent drug gang that did some terrible things to his borderline simple brother Anthony (Toby Kebbell) some time before.

    After Richard threatens a drug dealer and later gives him an unsettlingly twitchy apology, the gang of thugs suspect that ol' Anthony's brother might be a few screws short of a tool box, but don't know how to react. Sonny (Gary Stretch), the most sadistic and smartest (and in a group like this, that's not saying much), takes charge as best as he is able, but they are no match for Richard's cool-headed brutality and military training.

Short Film Reviews: My Summer of Love and Ladybird, Ladybird