Review of Tyrannosaur (2011) by Joe P — 11 Jun 2012

Solid performances by Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman hold together this dour film. The bleak brutality that defines Mullan's Joseph is contrasted deftly with the realistic sweetness of Colman's Hannah, and the film avoids giving its characters easy solutions.

The setup of the characters and their situations is stronger than the delivery of the story, but not exponentially so. The small and intimate scale of the film allows for the strongest moments between Joseph and Hannah while also allowing the audience to feel some aspects of the characters' discomfort and fragility.

Ultimately I find something lacking in the conclusion, but the performances are strong enough to merit a recommendation.