Two Pigeons

I don't usually dig "horror/comedies"; they usually veer more towards comedy, while the scary elements are often half baked or underrepresented. This movie, however, is the new metric by which I rate how successful the movies in the genre are. Two Pigeons starts off like any urban comedy, but casually veers into such nasty and disturbing territory, it was almost like watching two or three movies, mashed into one.

The actors are talented and believable, and I found myself really growing attached to their stories. With such a small cast, it was imperative that they all had obvious chemistry, and worked well as an ensemble. I did not find a single weak link. Everyone put their absolute all into this movie, and it was literally like watching the daily lives of people you somehow know and like. It was entirely believable, and this only made the movie that much more entertaining.

Everything else about this movie was top notch, from the cinematography to the soundtrack, but the true star of the movie was the Spanish actor who played the "guest". He was so weird, shockingly skinny, and delightfully disturbing. You couldn't help but watch in disgust at some of the stuff he was getting away with. It was horrible, but hilarious. I gagged a few times.

Overall, this movie has a great premise, yet the film does not overstay its welcome. It's less than an hour and thirty minutes, and things get right into the action fairly quickly. It's a quick, yet entertaining watch, that will not be easily forgotten. A gem of a film that should be seen by anyone that appreciates concise and well executed stories.

A man hiding in other person apartment for few days to take revenge for lost his wife and unborn baby.. He using his toothbrush and shaving razor and personal items.. And make separate with his girlfriend too.. The movie looks funny and some humour..

I stumbled on this movie by accident. The poster says Freehold but actually the title is Two Pigeons. I have no clue why you would name a movie with two different titles. I always look up the ratings before watching something so my hopes were not very high after seeing the ratings it got. But a low rating doesn't mean a bad movie, certainly not on IMDb. That's been proven before and it's been proven again with this movie. If you don't read anything about the movie, like I did, then you will be guessing what's going on. It starts slow and mysterious, but quickly evolves in some disgusting and gross scenes. Scenes that were perfect to me as it made me even more curious about the story. The cast was very good and every character added something to this special story. Javier Botet as Orlan is just mindblowing in his role. Due to his disease (Marfan Syndrome) he looks very unhealthy and creepy but his acting was on top. I would have made the end a bit more malevolent but it wasn't bad. Two Pigeons, a movie that made me turn my head and gag a couple of times, not as a slasher or so as there is alsmost no blood, but more because of our own imagination if those things happened to us. A movie that surprised me and that deserves a higher rating.

Estate agent Hussein (Mim Shaikh) shares a small London apartment with his girlfriend Mel (Mandeep Dhillon), but, unbeknownst to the young couple, the flat is also home to a strange Spaniard called Orlan (Javier Botet), who conceals himself about the place, emerging whenever the coast is clear to carry out a series of unsavoury acts designed to ruin Hussein's life.

A stranger hiding unnoticed in a home isn't exactly a new idea (for similarly themed films, see Hider In The House, and to some extent, A Crack In The Floor, both of which star Gary Busey). Despite this, the film still manages to hold quite a few surprises, delivering plenty of twisted humour and a keen sense of the absurd. Director Dominic Bridges' slowburn approach is effective, Orlan's activities starting out as relatively innocuous, but, as the film progresses, taken to more and more extreme levels. Shaikh and Dhillon do well as the the clueless victims, but is Botet who is the film's strongest suit, his extremely slight frame and long gangly limbs making him a memorably disturbing character.

Unfortunately, as good as the build up is, the finalé proves frustratingly tame: rather than opt for the truly disturbing ending the film deserves, Bridges delivers a finish that is both rushed and ultimately unsatisfying, Orlan's final punishment for Hussein not nearly as nasty as one might expect.

***EDIT*** Having just finished watching Spanish thriller Sleep Tight (2011), I now realise that Freehold's basic premise is even more derivative than I thought. I'm tempted to deduct a point for lack of originality, but will leave my rating at a 7 for the time being.***

A psychological art house revenge karmic comedy mystery gross out metaphorical film?? Interesting and clever with good performances all round. A little repetitive possibly, could have lost a few minutes of creeping around to improve pacing, though a minor quibble. Absurdist situation that the director somehow allows the viewer to buy into. Will not be to everyones taste and may cause a gag reflex in some people at times but highly recommended for something a bit different.