A reasonably enjoyable (for those captivated by this sort of thing) black comedy/noir thriller.
Shallow Grave (1995)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:41
Fresh:29
Rotten:12
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: This black-humored thriller features characters who are more obnoxious than clever. During the second half, the movie descends into gratuitous violence.
Synopsis: After three Edinburgh roommates (Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, and Kerry Fox) finally choose a new roommate they can live with, they find him dead on the floor with a suitcase full of cash.... After three Edinburgh roommates (Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, and Kerry Fox) finally choose a new roommate they can live with, they find him dead on the floor with a suitcase full of cash. While trying to remove the body and extricate themselves from the situation, they wade hip-deep into a world of drugs, greed, and madness. Danny Boyle's first feature film is a delightfully circuitous, nail-biting, and unpretentious noir, with the director--and screenwriter John Hodge--focusing on the gradual psychological disintegration of the roommates. Boyle and Hodge would gain even greater acclaim across the Atlantic with their hit follow-up, TRAINSPOTTING. Eccleston would go on to appear in films such as ELIZABETH and THE OTHERS. McGregor, of course, would become Rent Boy and eventually Obi-Wan Kenobi, among many other screen roles. [More]
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Kerry Fox, Ken Stott
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Kerry Fox, Ken Stott, Keith Allen
Director: Danny Boyle
Director: Danny Boyle
Screenwriter: John Hodge
Reviews for Shallow Grave
Nasty, mean-spirited, and heartless--perfect qualities for a thriller.
Brilliantly implicit, relentlessly paced, hilariously dark and underpinned by a central moral dilemma guaranteed to tease long after lights out.
Since no reasonable person can remotely hope to identity with Juliet, David or Alex, the whole case drops through.
At some point, ordinary human compassion must take up the slack. Boyle isn't a zippy enough director to make up for what's missing. No one is.
A tight little thriller, filled with exhilarating twists, that quickly establishes its artistic contract with the audience.
Regardless of how one feels about the film, there's no denying that it's absolutely brilliant as a cinematic calling card.
The situation is contrived, the relationships unlikely, the characters one-dimensional.
[The characters] become less and less interesting as the movie progresses.
Goes drastically wrong in the second half, deteriorating into a shrill horror flick dressed up in killer garb.
This stylish, exhilarating feature debut Scottish director Boyle shows impressive command over the film medium. It's new type of British film, more influenced by Tarantino and the Coen brothers than any British tradition--Boyle is a talent to watch.
From the get-go, this film begins to close its fingers around your neck and never lets go.
Class has its place, but some of us prefer our cut-'em-ups a little more lowdown.
Eccleston's intense performance and a few nasty little twists make it a thriller that keeps you watching, guessing and squirming.
We end up with a Hitchcock-lite tale that has gratuitous violence a la Steven King or any slasher movie pasted on in place of a viable script.
Latest News for Shallow Grave
January 09, 2009:
UK Critics Consensus: Indifference For Defiance, Whilst Slumdog Millionaire Shines
A trip to the cinema is a sure-fire way to beat the January blues, but which film should you be shelling out to see? Vying for your pennies this weekend we have Daniel Craig in... More...
January 09, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Golden Globe-Winner Danny Boyle
After sweeping the Critics' Choice Awards this week, visionary and eclectic director Danny Boyle shares his five favourite films with Rotten Tomatoes. As you'd expect from his... More...
August 24, 2005:
Danny Boyle's "Sun" Begins to Shine
Thanks to ComingSoon.net for sharing a press release from Fox Searchlight regarding Danny Boyle's "Sunshine" -- and the fact that it began shooting yesterday. More...
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