SIFF Review - Down Terrace

Down Terrace was described by a festival programmer as a British gangster film in the vein of the Michael Caine classic Get Carter and the official SIFF genre is "Black Comedy". In our opinion, the film doesn't really meet either of those descriptions, as it's much more original and nuanced than even the festival is giving it credit for.

Completely forgoing anything that could be considered an action scene, the film is set largely in the well-worn house of a crime family who are individually questioning their long lives of theft and murder. A sense of history and personal responsibility eminates from their every word and action. The story picks up when only-son Karl is acquitted in court, and various associates begin to drop by to talk about the family's next move. Bill, the patriarch pauses often to play bluesy guitar, while Maggie, the woman behind it all, silently drinks in the kitchen.

When Karl commits a murder in the house, the family begins to unravel under the strain of maintaining some sense of normalcy, until finally we see the bloody consequences of their long life of crime. Down Terrace is certainly one of the more original and refreshing British crime dramas we've seen in a long time.

9:15 p.m.// Neptune Theater // Tickets $11.00 ($9.00 SIFF Members)