Unhappy Birthday

By: Raymond Murray
In-House Review - Jul 29 2011

All is not what it seems when a simple trip to reunite a long-lost family member turns darkly violent in this taut, sexy, beautifully photographed British thriller.

Rick (David Paisley), Jonny (Jonathan Keane) and Sadie (Christina De Vallee) venture from London to the town of Amen - an isolated community wary of strangers. The threesome's relationship is a bit complicated ? handsome Rick and nervous Jonny are secret lovers, while Rick plays boyfriend to Sadie (who knows the score and doesn't mind). Rick wants to surprise Sadie on her birthday by reuniting her with her sister, Corinne (Jill Riddiford), someone she has not seen since the death of their mother when they were children. But all is not right, and strange warnings abound ? there are the creepy hand-waving townsfolk; the too welcoming sister; the pub and its hooded drinkers; and that photo of a mysterious man that seems to be on every wall.

Mixing themes of religious fanaticism, sexual freedom, morality, inbreeding, and madness - the result is a thriller of the most ominous kind! And one inspired by such British horror films like The Wicker Man, Hammer films and David Mackenzie's The Last Great Wilderness.