Tyrannosaur

2011 1h 27m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 527

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The story of Joseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction. As Joseph's life spirals into turmoil a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker. Their relationship develops to reveal that Hannah is hiding a secret of her own with devastating results on both of their lives.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Peter Mullan
Joseph
Olivia Colman
Hannah
Eddie Marsan
James
Ned Dennehy
Tommy
Samuel Bottomley
Samuel
Paul Popplewell
Bod
Sally Carman
Marie
Sian Breckin
Kelly

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paddy Considine
Writers: Paddy Considine
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

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 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

87 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Paddy Considine, shot by Erik Wilson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Chris Baldwin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1204340 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paddy Considine directs. Erik Wilson behind the camera. Chris Baldwin scores. Pia Di Ciaula cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 15 years ago.
3Directed by Paddy Considine, shot by Erik Wilson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Chris Baldwin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Pia Di Ciaula shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt1204340 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 20 themes, including "northern england", "faith", "trauma", "redemption".

The technical file

Cinematography: Erik Wilson
Original score: Chris Baldwin
Editing: Pia Di Ciaula
Production design: Simon Rogers
Costume design: Lance Milligan
Makeup / hair: Nadia Stacey
Runtime: 87 min · 1h 27m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $676,111
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Tyrannosaur (2011)

Awards

Sundance World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Acting
British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film
British Independent Film Award for Best British Independent Film
Sundance World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic
BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Paddy Considine

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Community reviews

What people are saying

The Movie Diorama2020-01-16
★ 8/10
Tyrannosaur harnesses predatory aggression in the pursuit of redemption. Abhorrence. Resentment. Vehemence. The Tyrannosaurus Rex was supposedly both apex predator and pure scavenger, a creature with vastly powerful jaws that vanquished the innocence of flora and fauna. Considine’s directorial debut depicts the uncompromising wake of destructive behaviour. The hollow remains of melancholic shells, optimistic perspectives absorbed by choleric tendencies of begrudged souls. The bitterness of tainted realities corrupting the individuals who follow faith. Samaritans. The helpful aiding the helpless. A religious follower, Hannah, working at a charity shop, offering solace to a detestable man, Joseph. A racist. An antisocial behaviourist. A wounded individual, dejected from life, extending revulsion upon the masses. Drunkenly murdering his pooch. Whilst the early demise of his wife acts as a catalyst for his abhorrent tolerance, Considine delicately infers various strands that trigger his enragement. Bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia. Other psychological diagnostics as a result of his vehement solidarity. Never addressing these, only inferring, the visual snaps within Mullan’s guttural performance provide hints to his character’s psychosis. This is a man who has nothing left to live for. A disorderly soul who numbingly drowns his sorrows with booze. Resented by family and society. So when Hannah graciously opens her arms to his wounded personality, his temperament is momentarily suspended. The warm embrace of a higher being. The touch of God. Whilst not viscerally displaying signs of tranquility, verbally slating faith and stating “God Still thinks he’s God”, his first encounter of benevolence alters his behaviour. He repeatedly returns to the charity shop that she works at. A chance for redemption. But Joseph isn’t the only injured soul. Hannah resides in an abusive relationship. Slapped. Punched. Urinated on. Sexually assaulted. Her voice suppressed by the overwhelming power of man, only relying on religion to guide her morality. Colman may play the victim role in this unflinching drama, but her character comparatively challenged Joseph’s personality. See, they both are the same. Like the eponymous extinct creature, they destroy. Both the surrounding metaphysical environment, and themselves. Testing the boundaries of their capabilities and thresholds for personal resentment. “An animal can only take so much punishment and humiliation before it snaps”. A resonant line that boisterously sums up the entirety of living nature itself. Considine, for the hour and a half runtime, produces an unrelenting drama that will drain your emotionality. When the credits roll, you will feel nothing. And that’s the point. Through all the anger-induced destruction and tonal annihilation, the only remnants that remain are nothing. Just the void of two similar individuals seeking redemption from their wounded realities. Colman electrifies with her balance of fragility and yearn for happiness. The instant switch from tranquil to tempered was unparalleled. Pain and fear hiding beneath her false exterior. It was sensational. Mullan complementing her physical instability by giving a resounding central performance. Terrifyingly exceptional. Marsan also, as the abusive husband, horrifying audiences with an incredibly realistic portrayal. Irrefutably, without a doubt, one of the most difficult watches of the decade. And whilst certain elements could’ve been removed or refined, the soundtrack failed to enhance the drama and the conclusion needed more time to simmer, Considine has undoubtedly crafted an encapsulating drama riddled in brutality and self-destruction. There is no message. No theme. Just the portrayal of hurt. Hatred incarnate. Two opposing personalities, tainting each other to produce an equilibrium of natural predatory nihilism.
CinemaSerf2024-04-10
★ 7/10
"Joseph" (Peter Mullen) has just buried his dog in his garden on a council estate where many of his fellow residents are like him - angry, violent and full of despair. After being beaten up on the street, he takes refuge in a nearby charity shop where he befriends the lady who works there. "Hannah" (Olivia Colman) is a woman of deep Christian faith who sees good in everyone and when he begins to visit regularly, the two begin to bond a little. What he doesn't know, but we do, is that she is married to "James" (Eddie Marsan) and he's a nasty piece of work. His discovery of this quite shocking news brings both of them to fairly startling realisations that lead both to differing forms of quite drastic action. Mullen isn't exactly versatile, he usually plays the hard man - and he plays that role well here, but he also allows his character to be tempered by Colman who's persona takes a parabola in the opposite direction. Paddy Considine largely lets the two of them get on with it with only the occasional intervention from the rather unconvincing, it has to be said, Marsan to break up the duopoly. The dialogue is ripe and authentic, and the whole thing is structured so as to present the middle of their story. We know what has happened, what is happening but not what's next...? It packs quite punch, this, and wasn't what I was expecting. Give it a go - you won't be disappointed.