“I’m making cinema, you know, and I’m sure of that” – Paddy Considine

British cinema has been often derided in the past, largely unfairly, but there’s no doubt that since I’ve been old enough to really appreciate the cinema output in this country, it has been pretty good. Watching the UK premiere of Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur, which took Sundance by storm earlier this year, only confirms this. Although it’s probably not a film for dog lovers…

Considine himself seems especially wary of the very concept of ‘British cinema’ as a separate entity, which he seems to think displays an unnecessary inferiority complex. He told the audience in a packed Screen 1 in the Arts Picturehouse of his annoyance at there being separate ‘Best British…’ categories at the BAFTAs, as if we cannot compete with the best elsewhere. He frequently stated he was “making cinema” and had no desire “to cobble this thing together” with respect to Tyrannosaur, “a lean beast of a film” as he put it – and what a piece of cinema he has made.

Peter Mullan takes the (very difficult, I think) role of widower Joseph, a down-and-out, bitter and needlessly aggressive man seemingly adrift from society at large. Early on in the film and dealing with the ramifications of his latest ill-advised and self-destructive rush of blood to the head, he encounters Hannah (Olivia Colman, yes the one from Peep Show) – a middle class Christian, adrift in a different way due to her abusive husband.

To focus on the brutality of certain events in the story (three people walked out of the UK Premiere that I could see) or trotting out not-a-date-movie platitudes (whilst true), would be completely missing what is so good about Tyrannosaur. When you look at the course of the film, the setting is very small and is essentially a domestic drama. However, the performances, Considine’s direction and some of the themes all serve to turn it into a much more rhapsodic recital on God, belonging and love.

The two leads are simply fantastic. Peter Mullan snarls his way through the beginning, before delivering a character arc and redemption which is pitch perfect. Portraying a man most people would probably end up crossing the street to avoid, his performance really does add sympathy and warmth to the loose cannon of Joseph. We already knew Olivia Colman was a fantastic comic actress, and she’s well known to British audiences, but who would have guessed at this performance as Hannah? Admittedly, standing back you can maybe see how she has embued the character of Hannah with some of the endearing naivete you can find in some of her comic turns, but the range of emotions she displays across Tyrannosaur is truly impressive.

The film constantly plays with the audiences prejudices and presumptions, on even small details such as the tidiness of Joseph’s home. You may try and convince yourself it doesn’t but even the final revelation and twist in the characters’ trajectory is a subversion on the characters presented. On a superficial level, they are stereotypes to the unimaginative – but the the arcs presented play with expectations whilst fitting perfectly into Considine’s vision.

“On a superficial level, [the characters] are stereotypes to the unimaginative – but the the arcs presented play with expectations whilst fitting perfectly into Considine’s vision”

Given the heavy portions of ‘grit’ in our cinematic diet and in this film, it is to Considine’s credit we aren’t with the visuals. Everything is immaculately framed and his decision to go for a truly cinematic look rather than a handheld or improvised one seems to have paid off. A man who was recently diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger syndrome (something he voluntarily covered at the UK premiere), you do get the feeling nothing is really happening by accident in his picture. Despite the subject matter, it really does look superb and, along with the themes of redemption, really raises the film high above the level of ‘Gritty Northern Drama’ he was so keen to avoid.

Tyrannosaur is a film in which its characters take a real beating, but the acting, direction and script are all excellent. It may not involve the creature of the title in its most literal sense but it is every bit as ferocious, intimidating and impressive.

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Other stuff:
- I’m due to discuss Tyrannosaur on the excellent Bums on Seats show on Cambridge 105FM, 11AM on October 15th. You can listen here at the time and I’ll embed the podcast here.
- Paddy Considine was present for an audience Q&A after the UK premiere at the 31st Cambridge Film Festival. This was recorded by Alex Oliver and is embedded below.