Klokkenluider

Edgy, darkly funny and claustrophobic comic thriller, in which a hapless government whistleblower and his partner hide out in a remote Belgian cottage, accompanied by two eccentric bodyguards.

From its early scenes of bickering, awkwardness and rising tension, through to its shockingly violent ending, this elegantly constructed, endlessly intriguing black comedy shares the combined DNA of 1970s US conspiracy thrillers, British kitchen-sink dramas and Pinteresque stage comedies. A veteran of the UK independent film scene, actor Neil Maskell is arguably best known for his collaborations with Ben Wheatley, particularly his ex-military contractor in Kill List. He brings some of Wheatley’s black humour and edginess to his directorial feature debut, a confined story of mismatched people thrown together in a rural hideout. But it is the bold play of diverse influences, pitch-black gallows humour, sharply amusing dialogue and stark, perceptive characterisation that singles out Maskell as a singular talent behind the camera.