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Skeletons (2010)

Director: Nick Whitfield

Time Out rating

Average user rating

12 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

This likeable but scrappy debut won the Michael Powell award for the Best British Film at Edinburgh last week, which suggests that the competition wasn’t so hot. A leftfield comedy of the mundane with a sci-fi edge, ‘Skeletons’ doesn’t quite know what to do with its bold ideas. It begins with some agreeable, sub-Merchant-and-Gervais banter between Davis (Ed Gaughan) and Bennett (Andrew Buckley), the Little and Large of the world of ‘extraction’ – a process by which this pair investigate homes in middle England to uncover the truth about their past. Together, they work for The Colonel (Jason Isaacs, channelling ‘Dad’s Army’), who reminds them not to get too close to their clients. Comedy segues into stranger territory when a case challenges this code: Jane (Paprika Steen) last saw her husband eight years ago and wants to know what happened to him. Various fantasy strands lead to revelations about several characters, but it’s hard to take this late plea for sincerity seriously.

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 2080: July 1 – 7, 2010

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User reviews of this film

michael said...

Posted on May 05 2012 13:28 Dave, go back and have another look at this one for god's sake. Movie aside, it's a rather poor review for an otherwise excellent reviewer. A little churlish and immature for a film that deals quite capably with the themes of honesty and maturity. And when you do, please don't just take a set against it because everybody else seems to like it, and you feel you have to defend your position simply because you've already adopted it. I don't need you to like 'Skeletons' I need you to be grown up about it..Honestly!

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Toowoomba said...

Posted on Jan 06 2011 04:18 Wonderful film! Ignore Calhouns review and treat yourself to a wonderful bit of Cinema...

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John Mills said...

Posted on Dec 10 2010 15:36 I must inhabit a parallel universe or Dave saw a different film - was wonderful - take no notice of this lame review and go and see it for yourself...

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Paul said...

Posted on Nov 21 2010 15:50 Miserable review for an enjoyable film

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Phil said...

Posted on Oct 08 2010 10:45 Dave Calhoun was obviously in an unreceptive state of mind when he viewed this great little film.Yes it's a bit rough round the edges and not formally perfect, but that is more than compensated for by its energy, invention and humour. To say that the opening dialogue is "sub-Mercvhant-and-Gervais" is just lazy thinking. The only similarity is that one of the characters speaks with a Bristol accent.

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Domaldihnio said...

Posted on Jul 29 2010 13:33 A miserable review indeed, I thought it was a brilliant and funny film. Paced perfectly to suck you into a surreal world,

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chimples said...

Posted on Jul 08 2010 10:10 Thanks for the info on screenings - shall chip along this weekend.

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Mark said...

Posted on Jul 07 2010 16:57 There are screenings in Curzon Soho, Prince Charles, Brixton and Wimbledon from Friday according to the Facebook page.
It's a lovely film.

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Chimples said...

Posted on Jul 05 2010 15:12 Really, really want to see this film - is it only showing in Cambridge??? No London distribution??? Bonkers

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Mark Brunton said...

Posted on Jun 30 2010 15:49 Hilarious.
Glad to report Skeletons is much funnier.

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Dave Calhoun, Film Editor said...

Posted on Jun 30 2010 14:03 Drinks welcome, at the usual adress.

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Mark said...

Posted on Jun 29 2010 18:14 What a miserable review of a beautiful film.
Someone give this guy a drink.

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