TYRANNOSAUR – SLIFF Review

Willfully changing who we are is arguably one of the hardest things to do in life, perhaps even impossible, but does that mean we shouldn’t try? TYRANNOSAUR paints a portrait of Joseph, a man filled with rage and overwhelmed by his violent past and a nearly uncontrollable urge to remain so. However, something is driving Joseph to change his ways and become a peaceful man.

Set in working class England, TYRANNOSAUR is the feature film debut from Paddy Considine, who wrote and directed the film. Paddy Considine is best known as a versatile actor from such films as HOT FUZZ, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM and the recent festival hit SUBMARINE. His roles have ranged widely, but have always had certain flair, so it’s no surprise this film feels like his own as well, even from behind the camera. There’s a philosophical wit to the writing, a quality I believe comes from his experience as an actor in smaller more insightful films.

Peter Mullan (CHILDREN OF MEN, TRAINSPOTTING) plays Joseph, an upper-middle-aged widower with a whole bag of chips on his shoulder. There’s a story behind “Tyrannosaur” being the title of the film, told by Joseph in a very reflective moment, but to reveal this would be a disgraceful spoiler, so you’ll just have to find out for yourself. The entire film is an exploration of Joseph’s internal emotional and struggle with his past and present, fighting the urge to lash out and express his anger through physical destruction, a psychological cancer that’s eating him alive.

Olivia Colman (HOTFUZZ) plays Hannah, a Christian woman who runs a charity thrift shop and the focus of Joseph’s efforts to better understand himself and how to overcome his violent tendencies. After meeting in a rather awkward, less than friendly manner, Joseph and Hannah bond and become friends. The relationship evolves from a mutual need for support into something deeper and more intimate, but not sexual. Hannah has her own demons, but hers are externally inflicted by her abusive husband James, played by Eddie Marson (SHERLOCK HOLMES).

Together, Mullen and Colman exhibit chemistry like adding Mentos to Diet Coke, explosive and shocking. Joseph appears to be the strong and silent type, but beneath this veneer is a man more frightened of himself than anyone else. Hannah is a woman who appears weak on the surface, a fragile doormat, but there’s a survivor lurking deep within that slowly simmers to an eruptive boil. What these two characters do for each other, at least in theory, is to keep each other in check.

TYRANNOSAUR is a dramatic character-driven story, powered primarily by it’s three primary actors’ stellar performances and excellent direction from having an experienced actor helming the overall vision. The film maintains a dark, gray and subdued visual palette to compliment the equivalent thematic tone. It would be easy to label the look of the film as soulless, but the soul of TYRANNOSAUR is just hidden beneath all the self-loathing filth that the characters must wash away. Ultimately, this is one of the most devastatingly emotional films that leaves you feeling uplifted that I’ve ever seen.

Fair warning… TYRANNOSAUR will make some viewers uncomfortable. In the words of a good friend and fellow canine enthusiast, this is a double doggie snuff film. I only say this because this makes many people very angry. You should know this going in, but please don’t let it stop you from watching. Secondly, there are some rather mean things done by James, and I don’t mean unrealistic SAW-type violence. Eddie Marsan takes his performance in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY and makes it look like an afterschool special, portraying the psychologically deranged James as an unpredictable husband who physically, emotionally and sexually abuses his wife Hannah.