The Hide
Director: Marek Losey
Cert: 15
Time: 1hr 22mins
A story set in a bird hide on a bleak stretch of Sussex coast line would, you might think, be the last place to stage a tense drama. Yet just like the characters in this film, you should never judge things at face value.
Roy, brilliantly played by Alex McQueen (In the Loop) is in every sense the stereotypical nerd. Needing only one more bird to complete the British List he settles down in the hide and prepares for a long stint ahead. His solitude however is soon shattered by the arrival of Dave, a suspicious fugitive whose appearance brings out the worst in Roy. Seemingly at opposite ends of the social spectrum the men soon find that they have more in common than first thought and as more information comes to light it leads to a dramatic and wholly unexpected climax.
Marek Losey’s unnerving yet clever film is at times funny, at times tense but overwhelmingly claustrophobic a feel which is heightened by the use of a sepia tinted film, the bleak surroundings and numerous close ups. Well worth seeing.
Rating: 4/5
Patrons: 3
CA
