Description

Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way – on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina’s led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see – the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life. But it doesn’t take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina’s meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris’s dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge… Contentious? Definitely. Suitably for a family audience? Most definitely not. One of the funniest, most violent and well rounded British movies of recent times? Very much so. For his third film behind the camera, Sightseers, director Ben Wheatley brings together Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, who developed the two lead characters and script, and sends them on a sightseeing holiday around Britain. It’s a trip taking in seemingly tacky, yet genuinely interesting looking attractions that the two middle-aged lovebirds visit, yet there soon comes something of a twist. For as the holiday progresses, so does the bodycount, as Oram’s Chris finds ways of dealing with the people who tend to get on his nerves. Litterbugs, snobs, Daily Mail readers: they all find their way into the annoyances of Chris. What makes Sightseers work though, and is explored on the collection of extra features, is not only the terrific and believable pairing of Oram and Lowe, but also Wheatley’s commitment to making such a black comedy out of their adventures. It’s a frequently hilarious film, yet not afraid to shock, so as not to lessen the impact of the violent acts contained within it. Challenging, entertaining and brilliantly played, Sightseers also benefits from a quality selection of extra features, to accompany a main attraction that’s set to be enjoyed for a long time to come. Highly recommended. –Jon Foster