Rent Tyrannosaur (2011)
3.9 of 5 from 456 ratings
1h 29min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Joseph (Peter Mullan) is an unemployed widower, drinker, arid a man stifled by his own volatile temperament and furious anger. Hannah (Olivia Colman) is a Christian worker at a charity shop, a respectable woman who appears wholesome and happy. When the pair arc brought together, Hannah appears to be Joseph's potential saviour, someone who can temper his fury and offer him warmth, kindness and acceptance. As their story develops Hannah's own secrets are revealed — her relationship with husband James (Eddie Marsan) is violent and abusive — and as events spiral out of control. Joseph becomes her source of comfort.
- Actors:
- Peter Mullan, Archie Lal, Jag Sanghera, Mike Fearnley, Paul Conway, Lee Rufford, Olivia Colman, Samuel Bottomley, Sian Breckin, Paul Popplewell, Eddie Marsan, Robin Butler, Sally Carman, Ned Dennehy, Fiona Carnegie, Julia Mallam, Chris Wheat, Craig Considine, Robert Haythorne, Vicki Hackett
- Directors:
- Paddy Considine
- Producers:
- Diarmid Scrimshaw
- Writers:
- Paddy Considine
- Others:
- Peter Mullan, Paddy Considine, Diarmid Scrimshaw, Olivia Colman
- Studio:
- Optimum
- Genres:
- Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- 2012, CinemaParadiso.co.uk Through Time, Top Films
- Awards:
2011 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Directing Award Dramatic
2011 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Acting
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 06/02/2012
- Run Time:
- 92 minutes
- Languages:
- English Audio Description, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.40:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary with director / writer Paddy Considine and producer Diarmid Scrimshaw
- BAFTA winning short film Dog altogether
- Deleted scenes with optional commentary
- Stills gallery
- Trailer
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Reviews (5) of Tyrannosaur
Powerful, bleak, brutal stuff - highly recommended - Tyrannosaur review by RP
I first came across Paddy Considine through his acting in low budget films from director Shane Meadows, in particular his striking lead role in 'Dead Man's Shoes', and I've followed his career since. Not only has he appeared in a number of excellent British films but also in Hollywood productions including a role in 'The Bourne Ultimatum' (as the Guardian journalist near the beginning). And he even went to the same school as my daughters...
'Tyrannosaur' shows his talents as both writer and director – and it's first class stuff. Powerful, bleak, brutal stuff. It deal with self-destructive rage and domestic violence as it tells the tale of Joseph (Peter Mullan), a rage-filled, foul mouthed, violent drunk, who appears to seek redemption as he takes refuge in a Christian charity shop where he meets Hannah (Olivia Colman). But it emerges that Hannah has her own secret – she is the victim of appalling domestic violence from her outwardly respectable but abusive husband (played by the always excellent Eddie Marsan). The film plays out via the revelation of the revenge Hannah has taken to a – perhaps hopeful – ending which takes place a year or so after the main events.
This is not an easy film to watch and it certainly offers no easy or glib answers, but Paddy Considine certainly deserves the BAFTA he won for Outstanding Debut. 5/5 stars – highly recommended.
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Stagey, Miserabalist British Film - Tyrannosaur review by PV
This movie is a misery-fest poverty-porn drama set 'oop north; with a mad drunk Scotsman and his unlikely friend. It is passable, but really, I was ticking off the social issues as it went on - it's as if the writer.director had a list, and went through all points one by one: alcoholism, tick; violence, tick; racism/Islamophobia, tick. Having said that, it's still worth a watch - but would have been better as a TV drama maybe. The main problem I had was that I just did not believe that the characters would meet and be friends, and I thought some characters were mere steroetypes too. And I could not believe events in the latter part of the film either. But, it's good enough - acting, directing are fine; it's over-written though and the writer is clearly trying to cram as many social issues in as he can - some of those scenes are not needed. In this, it resembles something from a left-wing theatre company on the fringe. Paddy Considine is a well-known and admired actor; this film is no disgrace, but I can't help thinkinhg he should stick to what he is clearly brilliant at.
One possible irritation: the title has little significance in the film but is a nifty marketing trick - it's eye-catching for sure. The marketers of the movie know that dinosaurs sell! I wonder if anyone went to see it expecting Jurassic Park? If so, the must have been well disappointed at the misery-fest on offer.
2 out of 6 members found this review helpful.
Not for me - Tyrannosaur review by BE
A stark movie with a strange outcome and which I found difficult to relate to. Good acting but really a movie I could have avoided
0 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Critic review
Tyrannosaur review by Alyse Garner - Cinema Paradiso
Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a violent an angry man whose behaviour is heading him on the road to self destruction when a chance encounter with a Christian charity shop worker, Hannah (Olivia Colman) helps him begin to get his life back on track. Unfortunately Hannah has a secret of her own and its revelation has devastating consequences for their blooming relationship.
Interestingly the title does not refer to the explicitly violent actions of Mullen or of Hannah’s seeming perfect but secretly abusive husband James (Eddie Marsan) but is in fact the nick name given by Joseph to his late wife, a woman who, according to him, could make the crockery shake as she walked. This rather heartless and flippant identification encapsulates the depth of Joseph’s own personal damage, implying a strong sense of weakness and disassociation from a woman with whom he shared a bed for many years. This may sound like a common story to many and that is where the heart of this movie truly lies, in its honest and painful depiction of a man, almost unknowingly, in search of redemption.
A strong and compelling feature debut for writer/director Paddy Considine Tyrannosaur is a slow and sober probe into the emotional and mental foundations of self destruction, including a disturbing opening scene in which Mullen’s character kicks his own dog to death.
This sums the entire film up quite well really, this is not an easy film to watch, even the visuals are angular, wide screen and dizzying at times, yet it is ambitious in its depth and incredibly emotionally evocative; despite all good judgement on my behalf I found myself hopeful for Joseph’s future and this is due largely to the excellent directorial skills and acting talents of Considine and Mullen; who combined manage to bring a believable and multi-faceted character to the screen.