A young girl from a tough background and an oppressive family falls in love with a suspected serial murderer. One of the main British debuts of 2017 is a triumphant return of the thriller to festival cinema.
Jersey, an island in the English Channel. Moll has been brought up in an oppressive family and is still obedient to her controlling mother. She meets Pascal, a poacher and total stranger to this area. This encounter offers the only opportunity to break free from the tightening grip of her family and gain liberty. However, the locals do not like Pascal. The police are convinced that he is behind the string of murders which have shaken the tranquil island.
The film was inspired by real events on the island of Jersey in the 1960s, when this area was terrorized by the serial killer Edward Paisnel, dubbed the Beast of Jersey. The full-length debut of Michael Pearce was highly acclaimed by critics. Born in Jersey, Pearce has captured its deceptively peaceful atmosphere resembling the early pictures of Terrence Malick. Special praise was given to the actress Jessie Buckley as Moll, who previously starred as Maria Bolkonskaya in six-part British adaptation of War and Peace.
Beast
Director Michael Pearce. United Kingdom, 2017.
107 minutes.
18+