Shallow Grave

An almost astonishingly interminable thriller, Shallow Grave follows roommates Juliet Miller (Kerry Fox), David Stephens (Christopher Eccleston), and Alex Law (Ewan McGregor) as they agree to take in a fourth tenant (Keith Allen’s Hugo) – with mistrust and paranoia setting in after said tenant dies and leaves behind a suitcase full of money. Filmmaker Danny Boyle’s predictably kinetic visual sensibilities are immediately cancelled out by John Hodges’ often ludicrously misguided screenplay, as the scripter offers up a trio of impossibly, almost impressively unlikable and unbelievable central characters – with, especially, McGregor’s consistently obnoxious turn as the cartoonish Alex setting the viewer on edge virtually from the word go (ie he’s the cinematic equivalent of nails on a chalkboard). It does, as such, go without saying that the viewer is completely and utterly unable to form a rooting interest in the protagonists’ exploits, with this vibe compounded by the progressively laughable character arc of Eccleston’s David – as the figure goes from mild-mannered accountant to sociopathic, unforgiving psychopath within the space of just a few scenes. It’s exceedingly stupid stuff that drains the proceedings of any tension or suspense it might have had, and there’s little doubt that Shallow Grave feels much, much longer than its 89 minutes (with the film’s frenetic yet uninvolving third act dragging and plodding along before the inevitably downbeat conclusion rolls around). The fact that Shallow Grave is now considered something of a minor classic is nothing short of baffling (there’s even a Criterion edition!), with the movie’s perpetually underwhelming and tedious vibe making it impossible to engage, even partially, with the material from start to finish.

* out of ****