Completing an out of nowhere recent triplicate of psychotic character movies after Alex Cross and Seven Psychopaths, we have an original, alternative, British black-comedy in the form of Sightseers. There’s been a terrific buzz since this was previewed at Cannes earlier this year and it’s well warranted. It’s even got a great shout for walking onto a lot of end of year film lists, but why is it deserved?
Emotionally broken and mourning dog psychologist Tina (Alice Lowe, This Is Jinsy) is going on a quiet caravan tour around some of the obscure tourist sites around North England with her new boyfriend Chris (Steve Oram, Steve Coogan Stand Up). It goes rather well with the two Brummies bonding and seeing sights before Alice catches on to the slightly disturbing fact that her lover is actually a bit of a serial killer. The two get lost in each other’s crazy worlds before they end up on the run after the body count starts to mount. Let’s hope it doesn’t spoil the holiday!
Lowe and Oram are simply sublime as the middle aging couple wanting to find love, company and a relationship out of one another with neither of their psychotic tendencies getting in the way. Oram plays Chris down to a tee as the lump of a man with a giant ginger beard we’ve all been suspicious of one point in our lives. His clothes, interests and idiosyncrasies are what we would expect a highly suspicious man to be like, especially round the oddity of the British caravan holiday. His casual attitude to murder reflects his comfortably friendly persona and, being fair, he only murders people who deserve it.
Whilst Oram is very good in his role, Lowe as Tina is exceptional; played to perfection as a lonely woman with only her mother to care for after accidentally killing her dog, she’s looking for an anchor in her life; she plays the lonely, attention seeking, individual down to a tee, with constantly repeating requests and an overall dour look, but happy aura around her, at all times. A terrific comedy performance.
There is a certain romance about seeing the two actually on holiday; compared to other ‘holiday’ films (like The Inbetweeners for example) there is a charm seeing these two going round to quaint, minority interest, museums and caves. It brought back personal memories from childhood trips and backpacking to out-there locations. There is a focus on almost advertising these quirky places like the Ribblehead Viaduct, but it’s rather respectful and not once is there any ribbing on the locations despite them being uncommon.
The duo of Oram and Lowe also wrote the script and their first hand experience pays off with some brilliant comedic dialogue and lines. The postcard monologue is a riot when you think about the awful things Tina’s overbearing and demanding mother must have said about the North. The Britishness of the script also shines through (“He’s not a human being, he’s a Daily Mail reader!”), making it a treat for any locals. The comedy does have a really queer British tone which is easy to love, but means it probably won’t do as well abroad, and it’s a struggle to compare Sightseers to anything really, as it has the dark humour of Nighty Night but goes further than that, whilst retaining the charm of something like Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz. But there is something for everyone here; I mean who the hell can’t laugh at knitted crotchless lingerie?
As well as Sightseers being a breath of fresh air in the comedy genre with no clichés, it contains the best use of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Power of Love’ and Softcell’s ‘Tainted Love’ in any film or TV show ever made; both songs are featured prominently, with ‘Tainted Love’ slotting into these two odd murdering creatures managing to find love blossoming from their own madness, while the ‘Power of Love’ also fits the rather shocking and downbeat, but strangely moving, ending. You’d be hard pushed to find another film which has so perfectly picked music tracks accurately reflecting its mood and characters released this year.
No joke, this film is brutally dark; it’s black-comedy of the finest jet black that’s found only in the centre of a black hole; where else are you going to find a movie this year that makes you audibly laugh at a woman pushing someone off a ledge? It’s a credit to director Ben Wheatley (Kill List) and producer Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) to make some truly despicable acts hilarious, and ensure that Sightseers will have you in tears. And, to be fair, most of the people who get bumped off do deserve it; we’ve all seen that one bloke who drops litter on the floor and walks off instead of putting it in the bin, and Sightseers allows you the opportunity to see that person finally get it. Granted it may be a step too far, but there is finally some justice. It’s quite good fun in the lunacy of the duo’s holiday until the last couple of murders make you stop laughing and think how far they’ve really gone.
So is there anything holding Sightseers back from perfection? There’s a couple small infractions; a couple of sub plots are set up but don’t go anywhere (most notably Tina losing her new necklace after her violent turn), there’s not much of an origin for Chris’ murdering spree (it’s glossed over quickly when brought up), and too high a body count makes for a slightly boring finale – quite hard to create, and make a weary audience at the same time, when you consider the runtime is less than 90 minutes.
Overall, is a masterstroke of fresh British comedy and deserves high praise indeed. Two fantastic breakout performances from experienced comedy actors, who can write up a brilliant script too, in an emotive and alternative look at a caravan holiday. The evolution of Tina is easily the best thing about this film but there’s so much dirty enjoyment to be had in this beautiful black-comedy anyway, you owe to yourself to get to your local cinema and support new fresh cinema.
Terry Lewis – @thatterrylewis.
