Cry of The Owl

Reel DVD

R4 DVD

This film is based on a book by Patricia Highsmith, writer of The Talented Mr Ripley. It is not the first time the book has been turned into film. French director Claude Chabrol produced a film based on the book in 1968. I haven’t seen his version so I can’t compare the two. The newer film is a good suspense film with only a couple of minor letdowns. Normally I would avoid U.S. remakes but in this case British director Jamie Thraves has done a good job.

Robert is an architect who has left New York for a small upstate town where he will try to rebuild his life. He has just gone through a painful divorce from his mean-spirited and heartless wife, and a case of depression. He feels the peace and quiet of a country town may be what he needs to fully recover. That he still has issues (and I suspect is still on medication) becomes obvious when he starts spying on Jenny, his next door neighbour. One night she catches him and rather than call the police she invites him in, perhaps sensing that he is no threat to her and may in fact be a bit of a coward. Jenny rationalises that their meeting was foreordained. When we learn that she has just broken up with her drunken, vicious boyfriend Greg we see that she also has some problems to resolve, like Robert.

Although Robert would rather let the episode blow over Jenny obsessively begins to stalk him. Greg finds out and turns mean. One night he savagely bashes Robert. Robert gets in a lucky hit and Greg falls into the river. Robert drags him out and leaves him unconscious on the riverbank. The police become involved when Greg goes missing. Robert is now suspected of Greg’s murder. Somehow details of Robert’s mental problems are getting around town and he now regarded as a psycho killer.

Finally somebody takes a potshot at him and the police realise there may be something in Robert’s story after all. Greg’s body still hasn’t been found. Who is responsible? What has happened to Greg? Who knows so much about Robert’s history?

There has been some criticism that Paddy Considine, who plays Robert, plays the part rather flat. I don’t agree. His quiet demeanour and slow reactions are typical reactions to some antidepressant drugs and Considine may just be building experience of this into Robert’s role. Otherwise each member of the cast plays their role well. The cinematography is largely at night and its dark moodiness perfectly suits the film. The only note that is really out of place is that the office scenes seem abnormal in their everyday ordinariness.

The film is a bit of mystery, a bit of suspense and a bit of crime drama mixed together into a very satisfying if grim film.

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