Shallow Grave (1994): ****

Shallow Grave is centred around three flatmates, accountant David (Christopher Eccleston), journalist Alex (Ewan McGregor) and doctor Juliet (Kerry Fox). After a long search for a new flatmate, after mockingly rejecting all the candidates, they find someone worthy enough to live with them named Hugo (Keith Allen). Hugo doesn’t last long enough to get to know them, before David, Juliet and Alex discover his body in his bedroom, much to their irritation. But the discovery of Hugo’s suitcase full of money quickly lightens their mood. However, as is often the case when someone finds a bag stuffed with cash, it causes a lot of trouble and strife for our characters. 

Shallow Grave was conceived in an era of British cultural history where the bold, the violent and the unlikeable was placed front and centre-stage, certainly in the theatre scene where director Danny Boyle originated from, as a backlash to the Thatcherite years. Shallow Grave is a reflection of this period, especially within the characters of Alex, David and Juliet. Alex is the cruel ringleader of the group, sneering at those outside of the group, and always seeking out a sensationalist story to write about. David is the quieter and nervy member who is shoved across his personal boundaries, consequently becoming obsessed over their ill-gotten money but never expressing a desire to spend it. Both Alex and David are infatuated with being the dominant male figure, with the power balance between them constantly shifting. Juliet is aware that David and Alex are attracted to her, using this knowledge to tease and manipulate them for her own advantage. 

Our main characters are unlikeable and selfish, yet nevertheless we are transfixed as they set foot on the path towards their own self-destruction. John Hodge’s efficient script has enough dark humour to make sure Shallow Grave does not stray into nihilistic territory. Neither, at ninety minutes long, does the film lag at any point, instead blasting through towards the inevitable conclusion. Mainly taking place in a wide Edinburgh flat, Danny Boyle does bring a dynamism to how the space is shot. However it is a bit florid in places and could have benefitted from some restraint – there are only so many times you can justify flipping the camera around vertically. That is not to say there are no striking moments in Shallow Grave by cinematographer Brian Tufano. Whilst David, Alex and Juliet are wrapping up Hugo in black plastic bags, the film intercuts to a man’s head forced into bright red water under torture. At the peak of David’s paranoia, he drills peek holes into the floor of the attic, causing light to pierce into the darkness of the attic like a network of lasers. The frantic disposal of a body in the forest is red and misty, straight out of a pulpy horror film.   

Christopher Eccleston is compelling as the downtrodden David, someone who was clearly already nearing their breaking point before the discovery of Hugo’s body and his cash. Eccleston convincingly conveys David’s shift from mousy accountant to a paranoid psychopath scrambling about in the attic to observe the scene below. Ewan McGregor captures Alex’s callous nature and his self-inflated sense of intelligence. He is the first to suggest committing a horrible act but won’t necessarily be the one to go through with it. Kerry Fox is limited with her role as Juliet, who is more of a narrative function than a character. However, Fox does bring some subtleties to her performance; there is a sense that Juliet has been forced to exploit her sexuality in order to climb up in the world. The relationship dynamics between Eccleston, McGregor and Fox makes for some tense viewing, as they edge around each other, wary of what the next person’s move is going to be. 

Shallow Grave is a tight and bloody movie, a solid debut by Danny Boyle and its young cast.