Shallow Grave

With Danny Boyle films. it's hard to know what to expect. We have the flamboyant, colourful and feel-good Slumdog Millionaire followed by a film about a man cutting his own arm off (27 Hours). With Shallow Grave, it smacks of gritty British drama from the start, but thankfully amidst all the mutilating of bodies and killing each other is our nation's characteristic tongue-in-cheek approach to....well, everything. So after being fairly swept up in the pyschodrama of it all, I found the climax unbelievably hilarious.

"It's not about the money, money, money." Well...it sort of is.

We're on the streets of Edinburgh and Ewan McGregor (the evil priest from Angels and Demons), Christopher Eccleston (various BBC stuff) and Kerry Fox (never heard of her) have a new charismatic flat mate. He then proceeds to overdose, leaving a bit suitcase full of money behind. At this point, most sensible people would stop to think that perhaps people with suitcases of money aren't the most reputable of people and may have some nasty people after them. But not for our merry band, who decide the best course of action is to horribly mutilate the body and make off with the money.

Can the happy trio remains friends as they bludgeon their way to unimaginable riches? Will the team be got by the nasty men who shut people in fridges? What crazy things will Eccleston get up to once he goes mad and hides in he attic (he's very good at being mad)? Will our heroes eventually be brought to justice by a pedantic detective and his sycophantic sidekick? As you can see, it's very silly stuff, despite the constant menacing theme music.

The acting is superb, although Kerry Fox lets the side down a little compared to McGregor and Eccleston. The moral of the story seems to be that murdering people is bound to lead to some fallings out. Is there a serious message about friendship? "If you can't trust you're friends, well, what then?" ponders Eccleston philosophically. You do get the feeling that Eccleston is the only one here taking this at all seriously.

Rating: 7/10