Happy New Year, Colin Burstead

Happy New Year, Colin Burstead shows that family gatherings can be extremely awkward and in the cynical hands of Ben Wheatley that is taken to its bleakest point. Everyone is depressed, sad and has a grudge to bear and watching it all come to the surface in furious fashion is the kind of cringe heavy experience that's impossible to look away from.

This is a cast of surprising star power considering the low budget feel and whilst everyone is on point, its the two brothers who really stand out. Neil Maskell's instant deflated energy and his multiple dramatic outbursts make Colin desensitised in a very human way and Sam Riley makes even the most seemingly heartwarming moment feel cold and calculated.

Ben Wheatley plays squarely to his low budget strengths, choosing the best way to shoot everything with deliberately disorientating cinematography from Laurie Rose that makes every argument even more chaotic. Clint Mansell takes a really bold swing with his score, going for the exact opposite of what this genre usually sounds like by making something that's unexpectedly mediaeval.

No bells no whistles, just a tv play style offering that's reminiscent of the applauded series of the 1970's and 1980's. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I'm a big Wheatley fan, even though I think his films can be hit and miss. I had no anticipation for this film and watched it out of boredom really. The film has a constant underlined tension which you think will explode into a crescendo of violence that never happens. I look forward to rebecca.

I had high hopes for this film as I loved 'Kill List' and 'Sightseers' but unfortunately it just came across as an artier version of Eastenders filmed on wobblycam. The premise was interesting but it didn't go anywhere and soon descended into pointless bickering characters which is the mainstay of lowbrow soaps. Sure, that's what happens when families get together, but it would have been good if we were amused or surprised at some point. Perhaps Julia Davis should have written the script for it. As it is, it stands as a failed improv experiment. I hope Ben Wheatley's next effort will be better.

This little unheard of tragicomedy drama represents some of Ben Wheatley's best work to date. There's lots of characters here, and his script manages to integrate them all in interesting and sometimes amusing ways; the dialogue is sharp, with the actors adding bits and pieces when called for, and the tense family relations soon reaches a boiling point with appropriately awkward and tense confrontations after smart setup work.

As well as writer and director, Ben Wheatley also shows really impressive work as editor. Conversations are constantly cut up with other conversations, and the transitions are smooth, never losing us as the audience with the content of those exchanges, while also managing to keep us aware of where everyone is and what's on everyone's mind in a given moment.

Of course, when the focus is on dialogue, you need a good ensemble, and fortunately this British film is splendidly cast from top to bottom, with Neil Maskell demonstrating yet again why he deserves more leading roles with this incredible, impassioned display. Overall, 'Happy New Year, Colin Burstead' is an excellent acting, screenwriting, and editing showcase.

8/10.