Lapwing

You really get a sense of claustrophobia watching this, as you follow the story of a voiceless woman, trapped in a small community dominated by a jealous monster. This is in stark contrast to the beautifully shot vast landscape of the Lincolnshire coast. Some very disturbing scenes that will stay with we.

From a seemingly slow start this film grabs you with a menace which is shocking and visceral. While there is a lot of violence and sex it is justified. It is also beautifully shot and will stay with you for a long time afterwards. When the finale comes it is rewarding and satisfying. An unexpectedly great film.

Really impressed by this bleak but beautiful slow burner. Hannah Douglas does wonders with her role as a young mute woman up against her controlling and terrifying brother in law (Emmett J. Scanlan). The landscape may be calm and peaceful but the relationships with their psychological, and ultimately physical, battles are anything but. Sebastian de Souza offers some heart to the proceedings and Sarah Whitehouse's tortured sister brings another emotional layer to a powerful and memorable picture. A welcome end of year surprise!

England, 1555. A young mute woman (Hannah Douglas) struggles to survive in her outcast clan, due to the lascivious advances of their leader ("Peaky Blinders"'s Emmett J. Scanlan). Goodness this is not a comfortable watch, and I should mention there are very triggering scenes of sexual assault (so be warned). The story gives me "Breaking the Waves" (1996) meets "the Piano" (1993); with a captivating lead performance of the mute Douglas; helpless in the male dominated clan. She is brilliant; and the segmentation of the story is very cool. And there is lot to take away from the commentary of the film, the cleverness of a literally 'silenced woman' of the past in a post #MeToo world is very creative; though Scanlan's central antagonist needed fleshing out. Why is he their leader? What skills put him in-charge? At points his embodiment of toxic masculinity is very one-note and lacking subtlety. This is a low budget feature film, probably with very limited resources; so when I say the cinematography is GORGEOUS in parts, I'm taking Hollywood level beautiful. Whoever Stewart MacGregor is, my word, he's talented... BOOK HIM NOW!!! For an independent film I was utterly impressed, and forgive a lot of understandable limitations on low budget features (a few of the minor roles were... just not believable). Though independent or not I was disappointed the film triggered my CUNF rule (completely unnecessary nude female). It was pointless and made little sense beyond objectification. A very, very commendable and thought provoking drama. Just quite grim and traumatising in parts.

Tormenting and menacing, Lapwing, filmed in a picturesque setting on the Lincolnshire coast in just 16 days, meant that the production was rushed, but still provided stark contrast between setting and place.

The female mute perspective of Patience, with a 16th Century helplessness of women, provides aspects that can be carried across to modern day. The film contrasted this with a cathartic finish. Patience is the perfect name for this character, providing reflections of those who experience oppression even in a modern context, her silence speaks volumes.

Character development was flawed, matching the characters themselves. David was as menacing as his troubles, and the hatred the audience developed for him was not entirely devoid of compassion.

Characters that could have been developed further were the Egyptians, and the hardship faced by them, along with more references to the gypsy way of life, which was more of a footnote in the film. This would have excelled Lapwing into its true pinned wing vision, echoing the discrimination that immigrants faced both then and now.

Worth a watch for the scenery, violent emotive nature, and provocation it awakened in thought.