264. The Delinquent Season; movie review

THE DELINQUENT SEASON
Cert TBA
103 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

Oh, the dreariness. Two failing marriages and resolutions which satisfy nobody, accompanied by shouting, swearing and crying.
Mark O'Rowe's film focuses on beautiful people in beautiful homes sharing anything but beautiful lives.
The presence of Cillian Murphy might well attract Peaky Blinders fans but I fear they will be disappointed by his needy work-from-home, weak-willed philanderer.
I guess they might at least be impressed by him flopping around the bedroom in the altogether.
Murphy's character, Jim, initially seems satisfied if slightly uninspired by a family set-up in which he is self-employed and attends to the needs of his children while his wife (Eva Birthistle) goes out to work.
His life becomes much more complex when her best friend (Catherine Walker) seeks refuge from her wife-beating husband (Andrew Scott).
Actually, complex is an understatement - minefield would be more accurate.
The Delinquent Season becomes a web of deceit among best friends with a couple of twists which are intended to add to the intrigue.
That would be if there were any. The problem is that the movie's characters are so utterly unlikable that I had no interest in their fate.
And that is probably why I have nothing more to write.
Unlike those portrayed in The Delinquent Season, I don't have a limited amount of time on my hands so I, having spent 103 minutes of an Amtrak train journey from Seattle to Eugene on it, I choose not to waste any more.

Reasons to watch: Impressive cast
Reasons to avoid: So dreary

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 4/10

Director quote - Mark O'Rowe: "Cillian told me, ‘This is going to be tough. I’ve never played a part that was so close to myself. Every part I’ve ever played I’ve created a character. I can’t do that with this one. This one has to be me’."

The big question - What was Cillian Murphy thinking?

Share this post