STRAIGHTHEADS

UK, 2007, 79 minutes, Colour.
Gillian Anderson, Danny Dyer, Ralph Brown, Anthony Calf, Francesca Fowler.
Directed by Dan Reed.

Revenge is sweet – but what is it after it has been achieved?

There have always been revenge films (a theme that comes down to us from Shakespeare’s days where it seems to be more acceptable when it belongs to another time and done in period costume, thus making it somewhat ‘unreal’). But, what about revenge when it is right here, right now? The British film, Outlaw, dramatised this very strongly, audiences identifying with the vengeful anger but faced with the challenge of what to do with these emotions.

One of the stars of Outlaw was Danny Dyer. He appears here as a surveillance technician who is picked up by an older client, Gillian Anderson, and taken to a party. They begin an affair. On the way home, they hit a deer and then are set upon by a group of locals where he is bashed and loses sight in one eye and she is raped. By chance they get a lead as to the identity of the perpetrators. They plan revenge.

‘Straightheads’, apparently, is a gangland term for those who have never been involved in a crime. This man and woman are straightheads who take the law into their own hands, presuming that official justice can never be truly done.

The violent scenes are brutally presented. We know what these people have experienced and suffered? We can identify with the drive for revenge. As we sit in our seats, we are asked whether we agree with them or not? What do we see as the effects of vengeance being wrought, not just on the offenders but on the victims.

1.The impact of this film? Revenge? Credible? Audience identification?

2.The contemporary British setting? The city of London, office buildings, apartments? The countryside, the woods, lonely homes? The special effects? The musical score?

3.The title, the reference to those who have not been involved in crime?

4.The overall theme of revenge, the credibility, the planning, the emotions, the carrying it out, the different effects – and the aftermath? Worth it or not? Changing the person who was victim into victimiser? How clearly did this come across – or did the film revel in the revenge?

5.The focus on Alice, at work, her competence? Seeing Adam in the street, his job for her, installing the surveillance? His spying on her, the shower? Her invitation for him to come to the party? Motivation? The drive, getting lost, seeing the deer? At the party, her former boss, distancing herself from him? Chatting, seeing Adam outside, the sexual encounter, the aftermath? Driving, the accident and hitting the deer? Overtaking the van and Adam defying the drivers? Trying to help the deer, take it away? The arrival of Heffer and the others? The attack on Adam? The rape of Alice? (And this being recapitulated and seen later?) Her reactions, with Adam, the month passing, their dependence on each other, their love for each other? Alice and the death of her father, going to the countryside, the hunters, the chance meeting with Heffer? Her summoning Adam? The gun, her lack of relationship with her father? In the house? Adam’s impotence and her patience? The shooting practice, the shooting of the dog, Sophie and her grief? Spying on Heffer? Installing the surveillance in his house? Her watching Adam and his escape? Seeing Heffer try to kill himself, the rescue? His confession to her – and the touch of compassion? Adam’s arrival, the gun rape? Her wanting to stop – the cathartic effect from her anger and behaviour? Driving away, picking up Sophie, going somewhere safe? Contact with Adam or not?

6.Adam, his work, lazy, asleep, Alice coming home, the surveillance, recording her in her bedroom and the shower? The suit, going to the party, fearing that he would be bored? Going outside after the humiliation from the boss? His age and the difference with Alice? Outside and the sex? The drive, hitting the deer? His being bashed? Losing his eye? The month, recuperation? Alice disappearing? Going to the house, her target practice, his being indecisive? The impotence? His watching her, installing the surveillance – and his brutal attack on Sophie and her fear, running away? His sitting by himself, smoking, seeing Alice in the house, watching her and the revenge? The revenge about his eye, stabbing the eye? His shooting the others? The sudden ending?

7.The social background, the boss, his house in the country, co-workers?

8.The gang, the brutality? Heffer and his confession, the flashbacks, owing them money, the death of his wife, trying to protect his daughter, the brutality, his letting go, the rape? The revenge wrought on him? His surviving? The old man killed? The young man wounded?

9.The impact of the violence, brutal and disturbing? Too much or not?