All Creatures Here Below

This was a really nice surprise. I didn't know much about it at all, so it was a bit of a punt. But it features two very good performances from Karen Gillan and David Dastmalchian - as a couple of troubled youngsters who get mixed up into something far bigger than they intended to. The plot isn't groudbreaking, but what sees the film through is the writing (Dastmalchian again) and the ability of the two leads to convince the viewer that they have good intentions beneath all the grim reality taking place. All they want is a normal life, but certain moments in their past seem to manifest themselves into stumbling blocks at every point. There are a couple of bumps in the road in terms of plot points but it doesn't detract from what is essentially a bit of a gem in the rough. It's very gritty at times, with a couple of potentially upsetting scenes / revelations. But that's what makes the film an intense experience.

A really sad movie here. Very well acted, you're drawn in from the start and this movie would be easy to screw up if the actors lacked here at all. You believe they have good intentions despite constantly fucking up, and that's important for the film's narrative. The end really surprised me. A very different movie with a story you won't normally see told, which is exactly why I enjoyed it.