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Dead Bodies

  • 2003
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Dead Bodies (2003)
Dark ComedyComedyDramaHorror

The return of a vengeful ex-girlfriend sets into motion a series of gruesome events for a hapless Irish bachelor in director Robert Quinn's grim black comedy.The return of a vengeful ex-girlfriend sets into motion a series of gruesome events for a hapless Irish bachelor in director Robert Quinn's grim black comedy.The return of a vengeful ex-girlfriend sets into motion a series of gruesome events for a hapless Irish bachelor in director Robert Quinn's grim black comedy.

  • Director
    • Robert Quinn
  • Writer
    • Derek Landy
  • Stars
    • Andrew Scott
    • Katy Davis
    • Eamonn Owens
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    1.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Quinn
    • Writer
      • Derek Landy
    • Stars
      • Andrew Scott
      • Katy Davis
      • Eamonn Owens
    • 11User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Photos6

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    Top cast27

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    Andrew Scott
    Andrew Scott
    • Tommy McGann
    Katy Davis
    Katy Davis
    • Jean Goodman
    Eamonn Owens
    Eamonn Owens
    • Billy
    Darren Healy
    • Noel
    Kelly Reilly
    Kelly Reilly
    • Viv McCormack
    Jer O'Leary
    Jer O'Leary
    • Mr. O'Leary
    Des Nealon
    • Mr. Kearns
    Gerard McSorley
    Gerard McSorley
    • Gordon Ellis
    • (as Gerard Mcsorley)
    Liz Quinn
    • Receptionist in Gym
    Brendan O'Sullivan
    • Police Officer
    Sean McGinley
    Sean McGinley
    • Detective Inspector Wheeler
    • (as Seán Mcginley)
    Frank Coughlan
    • Desk Sergeant
    Sarah Jane Drummey
    • Helen
    • (as Sarah-Jane Drummey)
    Alan Robinson
    • Police Officer in Coffee Shop
    Breffni Winston
    • Police Officer in Coffee Shop
    • (as Breffni Whiston)
    Mary Owens
    • Woman Walking Dog
    Paraic Breathnach
    • Detective Gray
    • (as Páraic Breathnach)
    Jennifer Young
    • Cathleen Ellis
    • Director
      • Robert Quinn
    • Writer
      • Derek Landy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    6.01.1K
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    Featured reviews

    10a_baron

    Dead Bodies

    This one scores for plot alone. Although our hero is in a dead end job, he seems to have no problem pulling tasty girlfriends, but his current one has a fiery temper, and shortly after she turns up on his doorstep with her suitcase, they have a blazing row. He tells her to get out, but it is he who leaves, giving her a shove as he closes the front door. When he returns, she is lying dead on the carpet, having banged her head. What to do now? He summonses his faithful friend, borrows his car, and takes the body out in the sticks to bury it.

    Nothing out of the ordinary so far, but as he is about to finish digging the grave, he has a big shock, there is another body in it already, a skeleton. He finishes what he started, recovers from the shock, and reports the dead girl missing. Then a woman is out walking her dog when...yeah, he should have dug deeper, but it's too late now. The other body is identified as the wife of a councillor who disappeared eight years previously. He is pulled in by the police but not as a suspect as he would have been only seventeen when the first murder was committed. The widower of the first victim is now running for high political office, and this is where it gets really complicated. A photograph of his wife is planted in our hero's apartment which is duly raided, so now he is the prime suspect in two murders, but guess what, it was the councillor who actually committed the first murder, as he finds out at the police station.

    Next, he hits on a bizarre plan which sees him and his trusty helper break into the councillor's home, force him to drink a large quantity of alcohol, and ingest sleeping pills. The crazy idea is to fake a suicide attempt - complete with noose and suicide note typed on his computer - then he will presumably take the rap for both murders. But they are disturbed by the detective on the case, who seeing the councillor lying on the floor half dead, finishes the job.

    As if that isn't enough, there are a couple of other twists. This film is described as black comedy; the script won't make you laugh, but you won't be sorry you watched it.
    7mmnewton

    well there's not many Irish films around...

    Late night on BBC1, was on my way to bed but curiosity piqued at a contemporary-set Irish film so I stayed to watch for a few minutes and then stayed to the end. I have to admit that the main attraction was the only English actress, Kelly Reilly, who is stunning to look at.

    This is billed as a black comedy, which is one of the hardest things to pull off. It should be the perfect blend of horror and horrible laughs so that in the end you don't know why you're laughing - for me Martin Scorsese's After Hours (1985) is the best example. Dead Bodies is more black than comedy but the plot rattles along and spirals down towards further blackness. I didn't spot the final twists in the tale as some other posters here did so I was suitably surprised.

    As a snapshot of the Irish film industry in 2003, it all seems rather worthy; it doesn't look like they spent too much on the making of it so it had a chance to make its money back. The script could've been a whole lot sharper but the acting was on the whole pretty good. I'm glad I watched it, flaws and all, tho I don't think I learnt much about Ireland today, especially their policing methods!
    BackstageInc

    Baby steps to what might yet opens doors to Irish film

    The film is a nice little cleverly written film, but the direction adds a very strong amateur feel to it. If Hollywood got there hands on the idea it might have been a world wide success but alas the Irish critics, if they have the right to be even called that have rallied behind him, making him sound like a prodigy but they are very over rated judgements. Whether or not he'll get any better at directing than this is yet very uncertain.

    Some of the cast are really good others are born stage actors and should remain so.... still though with the Irish film board pumping out these low budget films it's no wonder the Irish film industry is light years behind everyone else. Out with the old and in with the new I say.. But Robert Quinn is a start... so mixed views.
    7bowmanblue

    Does not contain as many dead bodies as I thought it would!

    I won't give an exact number of how many people bite the dust, but, for some reason, I expected it to be more. However, that's just my minor gripe. I actually enjoyed this film immensely.

    It's about a layabout boyfriend whose girlfriend shouts at him one too many times. A horrific accident later and he's left working out the best way of disposing of a body (and there may be one or two more bodies to follow after that).

    Most reviews touch on Danny Boyle's classic 'Shallow Grave,' as there are a few comparisons, but Dead Bodies isn't simply Ireland's answer to Boyle's first classic. Also, as others have mentioned the film does start off quite cheeky, almost as if it's trying to set the tone as a comedy. However, the comic feel starts to slowly dwindle as the bodies start to pile up (in not a very big pile). Therefore some people seem to lament the lack of quick-fire humour that the opening half hour displays.

    The humour is well-written, so I can understand people missing it. However, if you just let it go and accept that the film ventures into something much darker then you should get something out of it.

    It's one for people who like 'whodunits' who know who did it from the off.
    5CalDexter

    Good little Irish murder drama!

    I saw Dead Bodies on BBC1 at the start of the week, it was on just past midnight (i could not sleep) so i thought i would be turning off the telly half way through, however it turned out to be an enjoyable grim little drama about a guy called Tommy who by accident causes his girlfriend (sexy Katy Davis) to fall and die and disposes of the body himself...then all sorts of paranoid things start to happen.

    I don't want to give away the plot or any twists so check it out, because you get a great shot of Katy Davis's bum as shes having sex in this film and it rivals Nicole Kidman's butt shot in the much better thriller Malice.

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    Related interests

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Goofs
      Dates on Garda security camera in one scene show 9 September 2003. In a subsequent scene, the date is 5 September 2003.
    • Quotes

      Jean Goodman: How come you're never around when I need you?

      Tommy McGann: Jean, we've split up.

      Jean Goodman: I needed you last night. And where were you?

      Tommy McGann: I told you, I was at...

      Jean Goodman: You were at a party. Ah, that's great Tommy. And how inconsiderate of me to need you last night. How awful my timing is. What a selfish bitch I am! I come in, and that fucking lizard is roaming around. I've been trapped in the bedroom since I got here.

      Tommy McGann: He's not a lizard, he's a bearded dragon.

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    FAQ16

    • How long is Dead Bodies?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 25, 2003 (Ireland)
    • Country of origin
      • Ireland
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Трупы
    • Filming locations
      • Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Bord Scannán na hÉireann / The Irish Film Board
      • Hibernia Films
      • Distinguished Features
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 28m(88 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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