Soon Fantastic Fest will be upon us: the largest genre film festival in North America, right here in Austin, Texas. Reflecting on last year’s lineup, one film that sprung to mind was A Field in England, a vivid and visceral experience that lingers long in the memory. We have covered that film at length here (reviews from Austin, James, and myself) so I delved into director Ben Wheatley’s back catalog to revisit one of his lesser know works and one of my favorite films of 2012, Sightseers.
Tina (Alice Lowe) leads a dull life, browbeaten into submission by an overbearing, widowed mother (the fantastic Eileen Davies) who even uses the recent knitting related death of her prized pet dog as leverage to guilt her daughter into staying in the family home and catering to her whims. In a moment of rebellion, she strikes up a relationship with Chris (Steve Oram), a similarly emotionally stunted man who is also suffering from writers block as he works on his first novel. He decides to take a sabbatical from work to embark on a caravan (RV to you Americans) holiday across the North of England and convinces Tina to join him. Two repressed and beaten down souls journey together in their first taste of freedom but soon reality starts to grate, littering, noise disturbances, rude travelers, as well as the constant intrusion of Tina’s mother conspire to tip Chris over the edge. Mounting frustrations manifest as brutal violence and a romantic trip through the countryside takes a dark turn.
“You can’t do things like that, it could have ruined the holiday!”
Sightseers could be described as the British cousin to (the similarly little known) God Bless America, but that darn inherent British politeness means our psychotics snap at something as trivial as littering rather than the unfathomable success and offensive existence of reality TV stars. It is equally reminiscent of the classic Ealing Studio comedies, the more modern Mike Leigh films and even hints of the Coen brothers work. Sightseers showcases a very British approach to comedy, veering wildly from a moment of slapstick to one far more unsettling. Tina and Chris are two people starved of love, the trip and ensuing blood shed is a liberating experience that spills into the erotic. There is also an element of social commentary at play, it is not just a lack of nurture that has poisoned Chris’s mind but also his place in the world. Pent up feelings about family and their past is channeled into their contempt for people they meet and the small offenses they cause. The coldness of their response to each violent act is compounded by the deadpan nonchalance of the protagonists. It is only our laughter at the incredulousness of the pair that stop the film being truly horrifying.
“He’s not a person Tina, he’s a Daily Mail reader”
Sightseers is a bleak film, as UK films often are. This is reflected in the way the film is shot at times but the green and pleasant land is shown off well. Historic sites, beautiful scenery and quaint touches abound; the perfect backdrop to show off such jarring acts. Wheatley is likely to garner a higher profile with his next project, an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s High Rise, with Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons and Elisabeth Moss lined up in starring roles, so delve into Sightseers, Kill List, and A Field in England now to get a feel for his talents. While praise must be given to Wheatley for guiding the film on a path between the comedic and the grisly without going too far or farcical, plaudits should be equally offered to stars Steve Oram and Alice Lowe, who were also the writers on the project. From both sides of the camera they have helped craft a memorable duo: Tina growing from a meek, timid creature into an unleashed confident woman, initially responding to the spiraling aggression of Chris by coming out of her shell but later framing herself in a different way. Where they truly excel is in making such detached individuals still seem sympathetic. These are not out and out monsters, they are not there to be mocked, they are damaged individuals who you feel for. This connection and empathy makes the punctuated violence all the more effective. A comedy this black may alienate some but many will revel in it. Some of you may even think the pair have a point.
Sightseers is a example of how black comedy should be. Very sharp writing and uncomfortable humor delivered by two fantastic central performances, cold and detached but their need to love endearing them to the audience in spite of their actions. The banality of their lives and personalities serve a sharp contrast to the horror they unleash on the ignorant British public. You’ll laugh, you’ll be shocked and you’ll never, ever think about littering ever again.
