Review of The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009) by Stewart S — 17 Sep 2010

The Disappearance of Alice Creed would be a run-of-the-mill thriller if it werenâ??t for the controlled direction and subtly shifting twists of a well-written screenplay. J Blakeson has fashioned a film that seems initially straightforward, and the opening is brilliantly tense as two men fortify a small flat in order to kidnap the titular character. A sequence that is completely without a spoken word, conveying the true power of cinema â?? show donâ??t tell. But, as advertised, the narrative soon takes some very strange twists. What is so beautiful, is that these twists are so subtly signposted, and their revelations are not showy (Hollywood would have been brash and bold), and manage to completely switch character dynamics.

The small cast perform well and are actually well cast for the needs of the screenplay. Poor Gemma Arterton mostly has to look scared, though has a few devious moments. Eddie Marsan is superb as the apparently cold and controlling Vic, and his character, without revealing too much, is the one who is best drawn and goes through the most change. Martin Compston, too, is not as apparently sentimental or innocent as he seems.

Blakesonâ??s direction is tight and contained. The film is set in one or two rooms adding a beneficial atmosphere of claustrophobia. There are a few moments of thrilling tension. There are moments that are quite moving, thanks to the careful investment placed in the characters. It even surprises by not running out of steam in the final act, able to subtly shift the narrative with a series of turns. The ending is so tautly and beautifully structured that it leads to an unguessed at and satisfying pay-off, with yet another subtle twist as the first credit rolls. The moody, ambient score by Marc Canham helps turn on the tension in spades.

Not stunning, but unconventional, oddly resonant, and, in the end, rather moving. See it for Eddie Marsan.