Film journalist and friend of the show Brandon Streussnig returns to discuss Danny Boyle's debut film Shallow Grave, a British riff on the 90s neo-noir template, self-described by Boyle and his collaborators as their take on the Coen's Blood Simple. The film chronicles a trifecta of beautiful, sociopathic yuppies sharing an Edinburgh flat (Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston, and Ewan McGregor) who unravel after the untimely death of their new roommate and the discovery of a suitcase full of cash. Frenetic, aesthetically bold, and brimming with terrific performances from its cast of newcomers, Shallow Grave stood in stark opposition to the more muted social realism of established British filmmakers of the era like Mike Leigh and Ken Loach and showcased the collaborative power of Boyle, McGregor, screenwriter John Hodge, and producer Andrew Macdonald only a handful of years removed from their landmark feature, Trainspotting.
We discuss Boyle's aesthetic inclinations, his history in the theater, and how the cinematic medium can liberate a particular type of artist from the confines of the stage. Then, we unpack the film's stellar trio of performances, its economy of character, and especially McGregor's star-making turn that suggests the greatness he would achieve with Boyle in their next several collaborations. Finally, we explore the film's ire for post-Thatcherite individualism, its attacks on the moral vacuum of the upwardly mobile, the dramatic irony of a film about the corruptability of money even for those who don't need it.
In addition, we spend a brief moment looking forward to Boyle's latest film 28 Years Later (a full Bonus episode on the film coming later this week) and what it supposes for Boyle's late period.
Follow Brandon Streussnig on Twitter.
Read Brandon's recent interview with Palestinian-American filmmaker Reem Jubran about her new film Don't Be Long, Little Bird at his Substack.
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