If you want to see an actor exceeding himself in a quite disturbing setting, you should give "Peacock" a try. Cillian Murphy plays the quite quiet bank employee John Skillpa who keeps his life and his whereabouts to himself. One of these aspects is Emma Skillpa, a second personality John has developed in secrecy. In the mornings, Emma takes - nicely made up and dressed - care of John's breakfast, lunch, and everything else a husband might have to do. After breakfast, John takes over and leaves for yet another day at work. Everything changes, though, when Emma is accidentally presented to the public and people in town are suddenly aware of her existence. Things start to turn and John's life is about to change dramatically.
A fantastic Susan Sarandon, a bittersweet Ellen Page, and a believable Josh Lucas play alongside Cillian Murphy who portrays both John and Emma convincingly. The pace of "Peacock" seems just fine and increases as it is supposed to be. I liked the directing of "Peacock" because it creates suspense and despair at the same time and catches the audience's attention nicely. The soundtrack is a wonderful addition to the somehow depressing settings of John's home and his office at work.
People looking for a movie that simply looks and feels good, will presumably not enjoy watching "Peacock". It is absolutely nothing to be seen in between or just to have a good time. The audience is forced to deal with John's mind, his life, and his past. Some questions might even be left unanswered after watching, but this also depends on the audience and the attention people pay.
I was truly satisfied with this movie and the actors' performances. Too bad "Peacock" did obviously not get the attention it deserves.
