In my previous review I mentioned Paddy Considine as being among Peter Mullan's contemporaries at the time that 'NEDS' was released, along with Shane Meadows, Ken Loach, Danny Boyle and Gary Oldman. With this comparison I was drawing principally upon their uncompromising directorial approach and similarities in subject matter. However, it seems that this should only serve as a parameter for analysis, as Considine's depiction of the presence and influence of rage as part of the human condition defend 'Tyrannosaur' from the anticipated criticism that this film may face. The question on every critic's lips will no doubt be whether Considine's directorial/written feature-length debut offers any more than yet another time-honoured portrait of misery and social inequality? After a full 90 minutes of wincing, crying, laughing, and clenching my fists, I can safely sigh......yes. This film shattered my preconceptions. I would like to add here that my opening statements should not detract in any way, shape, or form from the innovation, honesty, or heart-rending palpability of the aforementioned directorial precursors of British cinema. Without them Tyrannosaur would not have been capable of , as its name suggests, stamping such a gargantuan footprint on the British film industry.
I must preface this review by accounting for the obvious relationship between Considine's Tyrannosaur and my previous review of 'NEDS'. Aside from the fact that Mullan has put down his directorial gloves to take the leading role in Tyrannosaur, there are distinct correlations between the context of their release, some of their content, and (at face-value) the genre category into which they fall. In referring back to my previous review however, I endeavour to gain greater depth of insight. That is, to elaborate, rather than duplicate.
I shall begin by saying that I have had nothing but admiration for Considine's acting career, having previously extolled his ability to capture every essence of the characters he plays, regardless of how complex or abstract. For me the Meadows/Considine contingent have produced some of the best films of my generation, and as a result my feelings on his move to director's chair were ambivalent. I was anxious to see whether this demonstrable skill in this collaborative 'actor/director' dynamic would translate to this new role.
Tyrannosaur is the augmentation of Considine's 2007 short film 'Dog Altogether', the title of which refers to the expression from the North of England meaning 'bad-all-round'. It features the same two central characters and focusses upon the character of 'Joseph', principally upon his rage and longing for redemption. After its completion, Considine felt that 'Dog Altogether' left room for the development of supporting characters, namely 'Hannah' who is played in both films by Olivia Colman, and the introduction of Hannah's husband 'James', played by Eddie Marsan. With Tyrannoaur it is clear that Considine elaborates on this theme of internal rage, creating what is essentially an exposé on the inherent, environmental, and compounding abilities of this emotion within the human condition. Although touching on issues of alcoholism, gambling addiction, animal abuse, and domestic abuse, Tyrannosaur delivers more than a highlight of these subjects. Examining a primal and, often covert, facet of humanity, Considine's deconstruction of these symptoms of rage could not be more real or important to contemporary cinema. As a primal and, often covert facet of humanity, this film tackles a more personal and internal realism than its contemporaries.
Peter Mullan plays the lead role of Joseph - I suspected a nod to Ken Loach's classic 'My Name is Joe' in which Mullan played a tyrannical lead, however, I am informed that this character is also loosely based upon Considine's late father of the same name. Joseph is a man who has found himself in the depths of an existential hollow. Initially we are not told to how he found himself here, but it is clear that within his character runs an insidious current of anger. The misplaced projection of this anger at everything around him has become almost an involuntary indulgence for Joseph. Even his apparent alcoholism takes 'a back seat' to sporadic and habitual displays of rage. At times Joseph's hate-filled dialogue is punctuated by intermittent moments of genuine awareness and remorse for those displays. It becomes clear that somewhere Joseph has become so consumed by this anger that his hidden longing for redemption is undermined by this language of hate. Considine cleverly portrays this similarly to that of a drug addiction in it's ability to encompass a personality.
With the choice to develop 'Dog Altogether' Considine chose to explore the cyclical mechanisms of anger, the genesis of his character's unhappiness, and in what form redemption could possibly be found. As the film progresses, Joseph finds himself the unlikely companion of a Christian charity shop worker - Hannah. Hannah's 'holier-than-thou' facade is the antithesis of his internal battle with his own anger, however he somewhere recognises that his salvation may rest in her hands. As this relationship develops they begin to learn from one another. Considine uses the influence of this very basic and ubiquitous human emotion in connecting these characters via the symbiosis of their subservience to rage. We are gradually introduced to the probable source of Joseph's internally projected rage, as we also begin to understand how misdirected and ill-informed his anger in his initial preconceptions of Hannah. Ultimately we discover that the universal presence of this most basic emotion transcends class, religion, origin, or any other social paradigm. The final explanation of the film's title is eventually revealed, as is the terrible irony of its meaning and Joseph's tragic inability to recognise this.
For me, Considine's reductive approach to subject matter allows Tyrannosaur to hit as hard as any film I have ever seen. The development of themes and the relationship between the film's two main characters are expertly constructed in developing plot gradually, yet succinctly, and with little time to disappear amidst it's own inventiveness or melancholy. For me this is key in differentiating Tyrannosaur from an insight into a miserable circumstance, and instead makes way for the film to do hard-hitting justice to these circumstance while developing an underlying motif.
The script is honed with an almost tactile effervescence of both pain and love, - that of which is embodied in not only Mullan's role, but in two of the most bold and candid supporting performances that I have ever seen. Eddie Marsan's portrayal of a charming and charismatic monster is acutely measured and terrifying its examination of the insidious, transformative, and fragmenting effects of anger upon character. Colman's portrayal of the attritional effects of mediation between overbearance of such anger, and the pursuit of salvation upon the human psyche is both sympathetic and wonderfully complex. Colman's performance is nothing short of astonishing in its intensity, but also its allusion to Hannah's altruism and piety as not a symbol of strength and salvation, rather that of self deception and masquerade. Hannah clearly loathes her inability to escape her situation. In this way Considine's script explores the tragic ironies that befall both Joseph and Hannah, and through doing so, goes some way to explaining the unlikely bond they form with one another. Through the development of their relationship, we discover the extent to which they may mutually benefit from each others company.
References to dogs throughout the film, from brutal start to brutal finish, follow the development of the expression 'Dog Altogether', but also present a paradox in a dog's ability to be inherently animalistic and thus escape blame for their actions. It is this innocence that highlights the fact that humanity may consciously change their actions whereas a dog will always respond appropriately to its instincts and its surroundings. This theme serves as both indictment and redemption in Tyrannosaur where the characters actions are measured against that of a true beast- a 'control'...if you will. Ultimately this film uncovers the effects of misplaced emotion in a world that surrounds us with what we see as reasons to be angry. It appears the only time we may be exonerated from our emotional responses is when we are reduced to our animal instincts. Ironically, drawing upon our innate functions appears to be the only salvation in allocating and utilising emotion for the purpose it is intended. Considine suggests that perhaps 'going native' is the only way for Joseph and Hannah to escape the spiral of misdirected emotion.
It is clear that all of the performances in this film rest upon thoughtful and skillful direction, with flawless cohesion between the performances and the overall tone of the film. Colman and Considine have both since discussed the outcome as 'collaborative', - what Considine refers to as a ''key part of the film-making process''. It is evident that his understanding as an actor has been put to use in his directorial approach, and that his ability in script writing has extended from short to feature film.
This is not a film for everyone, and some viewers should probably steer clear if they are easily shaken. However, the most shocking scenes avoid indulgence or voyeurism, and a well-paced plot sews the film together in a way that renders these scenes both apt and true to the narrative. The most salient impression for me to convey is that Tyrannosaur is a film written and directed out of necessity. This is a film with unquestionable purpose and has clearly evolved from a personal compulsion to explore this subject. It does so with honesty, poetry, and love for it's characters.
Leave any preconceptions 'at the door', and brace yourself for a plethora of emotion...... Paddy Considine has some thing to say.
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