Movie 160: The Cottage

Hardman David (Andy Serkis) and his weedy brother Peter (Reece Shearsmith) kidnap a mobsters daughter (Jennifer Ellison) for ransom money. Unfortunately she’s a bit menatal bitch with a mouth like a sailor and a head butt like a football hooligan. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Until you think more can’t go wrong. Then the deformed serial killer turns up…

Horror/thriller comedy action then. I didn’t actually know about the second half serial killer bit going in. It’s a pretty big tone shift though the comedy doesn’t go away even as the gore ratchets up. It’s also surprisingly clever at times leaving you to fill in some gaps with only small visual queues.

This is familiar territory for Reece Shearsmith as he was one of the writers/stars of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The TV show, not the shite action film. It’s got a VERY dark tone to its comedy. I don’t know if it was anywhere near as gory though as I only watched the first year. I doubt it. Anyway he fits right in here.

Andy Serkis is…..well he’s Andy Serkis. One of the best Brit character actors going, even if he does have a face like Rowan Atkinson when he wakes up from a heavy night. He’s great as hard man David who’s surrounded by bumbling idiots.

And for a scouser who came out of Brookie, Jennifer Ellison is not bad too. She’s a relatively pretty face, nice bod, who ruins any kind of attraction as soon as she opens her mouth. Plays a mighty fine bitch though.

There’s a lot of screaming, a fair bit of blood, lots of nasty stuff and a whole bunch of laughs here. Mainly front loaded in the comedy department but they manage to keep some in the more straight second half. The budget wasn’t huge but the gore, make up and set decoration are all top notch. Every penny is up there on screen.

Worth a look if you like good dark comedy, as long as you can handle the blood and guts.

Next up: Choke