BEAST

SYNOPSIS:
A troubled woman (Jessie Buckley) living in an isolated community finds herself pulled between the control of her oppressive family and the allure of a secretive outsider (Johnny Flynn) suspected of a series of brutal murders.

Review by Louise Keller:
With its isolated setting and unpredictable characters, this mystery murder thriller bubbles with intrigue as it generates a thick fog of moodiness. In his feature debut, Michael Pearce has created a complex scenario in which two misfits find each other - on a backdrop of violence and murder. Context, setting and character are well described and Pearce's storytelling is clear as the elements involving a serial killer, a remote island and two like-souls unravel.

When Moll (Jessie Buckley) meets Pascal (Johnny Flynn), it is as though he is a Prince Charming of sorts, rescuing her not only from an awkward situation, but from a life in which she feels imprisoned. What is it about him? His smell, she states. Both characters are edgy: we never know exactly what either may do, or of what either is capable. We are drawn to both. They are different from everyone else. Moll may look angelic when singing in the choir but she has another side. Pascal's tender side shows a penchant for risk-taking (their first kiss is on a rock near the water's edge), but there is also air of danger about him. We sense the attraction between Moll and Pascal and understand it. This is key to the success of the film with Buckley and Flynn well matched to deliver the complex characters they portray.

A girl running away from life; a stifling, protective family; a killer stalking young girls; a concerned community. All this among the stench of fear, boredom and hatred. Powerful cinema.