Tyrannosaur

Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine’s debut movie, was something I’ve longed to see, but it was a movie I’ve wanted to stop watching after the first scene as well. However, movies with a shocking first scene turned out to be better than movies with a shocking end scene, so I decided to keep on watching. Nevertheless, be aware that every part following this opening scene may be considered as hard as the first one.

Tyrannosaur deals with uncontrollable anger and violence. Rage, in other words, that seems to be a habit and addiction for our protagonist. And above all, it’s something that needs to be kept under control before it reaches the highest level. Peter Mullan plays Joseph, an old ageing widower, living in the slum of Leeds. After his wife died, he has very little to live and fight for. Excluded by society, the protagonist (and many others in similar situation) takes out his anger on someone weaker than himself, more specific, his dog. Surrounded by violence and not aware of a better world, Joseph ends up hiding in Hannah’s charity store after a fight in a local bar. She’s a committed Christian who, after being rejected to talk to, starts to pray for the hiding stranger. Joseph’s first reaction to the woman’s prayers wasn’t exactly what she expected and overloaded with reproaches, Hannah stays behind. A few days later, Joseph returns to her store with a sense of guilt, as far as he’s able to sense that feeling. What follows is a development of a friendship between the two, drawn together by distress.

Tyrannosaur if far from a romantic drama in which two people help each other to fix their tortured life. Yes, it may be considered as a social drama, but it deals with much more than that alone. Melancholic and lugubrious mood, yet very impressive when it comes to acting. It drags you down with a feeling of despair, but at the same time reveals the lives of many among us. Showing, not telling is the success of many drama’s and this impressive debut by actor Paddy Considine makes us feel like we’re in the middle of it all.