Crossbow

"A kid. His mum and dad. The sex and drugs. And the boy next door who watched the whole thing unravel."

2007 0h 14m EN

😐

5.6

MID

★5.6TMDB · 16

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In Crossbow the spoiler is right in front of you, there in the title. A crossbow is an anachronistic device and does not, at least in my mind, lend itself well to analogy or metaphor. In spite, or, more accurately, precisely because this ominous title hangs over the very start of viewing, the short film remarkably sustains a growing dread throughout its languid narration and slow-moving, though arresting visuals; maximizing its force not through the promise of surprise but through the inevitability of its conclusion.

“A kid. His mum and dad. The sex and drugs. And the boy next door who watched the whole thing unravel.”

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Cast

Joel Edgerton
The Dad
Lisa Chappell
The Mum
Cy Standen
The Kid
Mirrah Foulkes
Cop #1
David Michôd
Narrator / Lounge
Luke Doolan
Lounge
Nash Edgerton
Forensics
Dan Roche
Cop #2

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David Michôd
Writers: David Michôd
Languages: English
Countries: Australia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 14-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 19 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David Michôd, shot by Greig Fraser. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Luke Doolan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Joel Edgerton and Lisa Chappell and Cy Standen carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A kid. His mum and dad. The sex and drugs. And the boy next door who watched the whole thing unravel.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1031228 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David Michôd directs. Greig Fraser behind the camera. Luke Doolan cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Australia. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 14-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 19 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by David Michôd, shot by Greig Fraser. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Luke Doolan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Joel Edgerton and Lisa Chappell and Cy Standen carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "A kid. His mum and dad. The sex and drugs. And the boy next door who watched the whole thing unravel.".
8IMDB entry: tt1031228 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 16 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.