Shallow Grave (Boyle, 1994)

[kaytee]

Danny Boyle proved that he has class from the outset when he directed Shallow Grave. A nice and tight thriller with a lot of black comedy.

The story goes like this - 3 roommates find their 4th new roommate dead but loaded with cash. Then starts the game of greed and deceit. All 3 decide to keep the money and how that affects their lives.

The acting was brilliant from an unknown Evan McGregor at that time but Christopher Eccleston really plays the pyscho's role to perfection.

Boyle creates a creepy and scary atmosphere while keeping the story suspenseful at all times and that is why the movie succeeds.

A nice little thriller.

[fizz]

The first thought that popped into my head at the start of this film was what kind of relationship the 3 people we meet have with each other. They seemed to be very good friends and also flat mates, but there was a nagging feeling of something more lurking beyond the simple pretense on which the friendship was based.

The setup in the film is simple, and deceptively so - the flat mates need a 4th person to rent out a spare room to, someone they choose based on how likeable he or she is to them. It’s only when this person dies leaving behind a suitcase full of cash, that the moral quandary unfolds. The overall feel is of this being a dark, edgy and by the end, fucked up premise (a more sinister A Simple Plan), one that depends on the strengths of Danny Boyle (in his directorial debut) as a visually arresting director and the uniformly excellent cast. Not surprisingly, the most impressive character of the trio is played by Christopher Eccleston, who transforms from quite accountant to crazed paranoid by the end. Ewan McGregor is devilishly smart in an early role that projects the greatness that would follow. Overall, short yet gripping, with its closed, interior camerawork reminiscent of Wachowski's majestic thriller, Bound.

Rating: 4/5

[theoddball]

Top Movie from a brilliant director, who really needs to get back to doing this kind of stuff.

[animatedude]

SE is finally coming out early next year! wohoooooooooo!

[animatedude]

Extras:

-commentary by director Danny Boyle.
-a fly-on-the-wall documentary ‘Digging Your Own Grave’, directed by Kevin Macdonald.

awesomeness.

[fizz]

Boyle and Macdonald - thats a great combo. I'm surprised the DVD cover doesn't say something sillier like "From the Oscar Winning director of Slumdog Millionaire".

[animatedude]

it has "from the director of Trainspotting" and that's more than enough and the movie is being released on the same day of "Slumdog Millionaire".along with a new Trainspotting special edition.

[ayaa1977]

Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors, period! He is versatile, always has something interesting to say, and you know a Boyle film when you see it. The first Danny Boyle's film I remember seeing was The Beach, which is not exactly a cherished film by many, but I do like it a lot. I wanted to go back to the films that made him recognized: Shallow Grave and Trainspotting. I now have seen the first and have the second setting on my TV decoder. 

As for Shallow Grave, I must say I was impressed. I thought I am in for a murder mystery where the protagonists are trying to get themselves of big troubles with bad people, so I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that it is about our protagonists are the bad people, and outside danger they are facing is of no great importance. The three of them seem in harmony and had great Rapport on the surface, but when this relationship is tested, it dissolved so easily in favor of selfishness and greed. Boyle gave us the clues early on, the three of the giggling buffoons are bad persons, they use others and make fun of them for their own amusement. So the outcome should not come as surprise to anyone.

The film is tight little thriller as you mentioned, it has some interesting shots and cool music cues as it is always with Boyle's film. Ewan McGregor was a Boyle stable then, but it was Christopher Eccleston film really for he was the one who had the meatier role and he did pull it off nicely.   

My Rating 4/5.