As far as craft is concerned, Shallow Grave is an impressive film. Danny Boyle is a stylish filmmaker and despite the fact that this is his first directorial effort, that style shines through. This is a very good-looking film with excellent set design and color scheming, as well as great camera-work. There's also an undeniable giddiness and energy to the film. It feels like the product of a talented guy who loves movies and has finally been given the opportunity to make his own; he's having fun, and it's infectious.
It really is a shame then that I couldn't get into this. For all of its style and unique energy, this movie ultimately failed to engage on an intellectual or emotional level. There are potentially good themes at work here as we see these three friends devolve into increasingly nefarious behavior: greed, corruption, and the inability to trust even those closest to you. But ultimately these themes aren't so much explored as they are presented. I don't feel as if I've gained any insight into the dark impulses of man as the credits roll, even if I have been shown them.
Perhaps the reason for this is my inability to really get on board with these characters. The performances themselves are actually quite good, with Ewan McGregor in particular giving a great portrayal of Alex which (intentional or not) is reminiscent of Malcolm McDowell as another (more memorable) Alex. However, I never felt like I really understood these characters or their motivations. They were introduced to be relatively immature and cruel in the beginning of the film as they torment some prospective roommates, but they essentially go from 0 to 60 from there without much setup. It wasn't so much a descent into criminality as a leap off of a cliff, which felt at odds with the fact that at least two of the three main characters were clearly well- off, intelligent, and successful (doctor and accountant).
The film tries to make a grand statement - at the outset it claims that the actions we are about to witness are things that any individual is capable of, even those who we would typically trust or deem honorable. It tries to reveal the primal, selfish nature of humans and the potential corrupting power of greed. But that theme doesn't ring true because of the lack of setup given to these characters. The quickness with which they jump to the heinous crimes they commit gives the impression that they were already morally compromised and sadistic to begin with. It doesn't feel like I'm watching average, decent people who have been seduced to violence by greed. Rather, I feel like I'm watching the story of these three specific opportunists who already lack empathy for others and, not surprisingly, spiral downwards when put in the situation that the film sets up. The universality of the theme just doesn't land.
So then, what if you just forget the failed thematic goal and view the film as just that - a stylish thriller about three bad friends doing bad things? I think your mileage will still vary. There just wasn't enough intrigue in the plot for it to really hold the film up on its own accord, and the characters aren't colorful or fleshed-out enough to stand next to similar creations like the aforementioned Alex DeLarge. Beyond the style, great visuals, and giddy energy, the film just doesn't have much else going for it.
It really is a shame then that I couldn't get into this. For all of its style and unique energy, this movie ultimately failed to engage on an intellectual or emotional level. There are potentially good themes at work here as we see these three friends devolve into increasingly nefarious behavior: greed, corruption, and the inability to trust even those closest to you. But ultimately these themes aren't so much explored as they are presented. I don't feel as if I've gained any insight into the dark impulses of man as the credits roll, even if I have been shown them.
Perhaps the reason for this is my inability to really get on board with these characters. The performances themselves are actually quite good, with Ewan McGregor in particular giving a great portrayal of Alex which (intentional or not) is reminiscent of Malcolm McDowell as another (more memorable) Alex. However, I never felt like I really understood these characters or their motivations. They were introduced to be relatively immature and cruel in the beginning of the film as they torment some prospective roommates, but they essentially go from 0 to 60 from there without much setup. It wasn't so much a descent into criminality as a leap off of a cliff, which felt at odds with the fact that at least two of the three main characters were clearly well- off, intelligent, and successful (doctor and accountant).
The film tries to make a grand statement - at the outset it claims that the actions we are about to witness are things that any individual is capable of, even those who we would typically trust or deem honorable. It tries to reveal the primal, selfish nature of humans and the potential corrupting power of greed. But that theme doesn't ring true because of the lack of setup given to these characters. The quickness with which they jump to the heinous crimes they commit gives the impression that they were already morally compromised and sadistic to begin with. It doesn't feel like I'm watching average, decent people who have been seduced to violence by greed. Rather, I feel like I'm watching the story of these three specific opportunists who already lack empathy for others and, not surprisingly, spiral downwards when put in the situation that the film sets up. The universality of the theme just doesn't land.
So then, what if you just forget the failed thematic goal and view the film as just that - a stylish thriller about three bad friends doing bad things? I think your mileage will still vary. There just wasn't enough intrigue in the plot for it to really hold the film up on its own accord, and the characters aren't colorful or fleshed-out enough to stand next to similar creations like the aforementioned Alex DeLarge. Beyond the style, great visuals, and giddy energy, the film just doesn't have much else going for it.