Tony - London Serial Killer

This is a fantastic film. Well shot, well written, well edited, well acted,effective soundtrack...and short enough to leave you wanting more.

I cant say enough good about this film, as its one of those films that is so good that it takes on a life of its own. As all great art, this is not a 'horror film' but a sociological reflection of our times.

The story introduces us to a lonely man who lives by himself and tries to form relationships with the vagrants and oddball characters but due to his inability to communicate properly, which we read into as shyness, years of repression, denial he ends up killing them.

Humour is used as a temporary escape valve from the horror we see, and actually, the comedy is a real highlight of this dark piece, as we are challenged to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. This is nothing new, but it added to the humanity of the piece.

To be honest, there are a few things that I have to criticize for this piece but these more loving embellishments than anything else. For example, the film could be longer as we are left hanging at the end and wanting more.without giving the game away, if tony had succeeded in his goals, and then given due punishment, it would have created the next layer of depth that the film is surely deserving.Also small symbolic indicators, without being too blatant would have added to revealing his past, that even if the film chose not to express, could add clues hinting at the person that Tony once was.Also could have done some scenes of him eating alone.

However with respect to the directors artistic choices, I believe leaving certain issues unresolved allows the viewer to imagine and ponder more about an epidemic that wont go away, provoking deeper contemplation. So in this respect, it is an intelligent artistic decision which is in hindsight, to be respected.

Like i said, great films are the ones that have a life of their own, not dictated by comparisons although comparisons are necessary to explain them, once you see the film, it goes far beyond that. this is a character study of a creature in pain. A product of its environment and even a sociological reflection of the dysfunction of its environment. As all good art does, makes us reflect and think in the here and now. And what we as people, society , generation, have become. Definitive stuff.

Tony is a look at a serial killer and their everyday life. Tony is awkward, very awkward, and this leads to him being ignored or mistreated by the majority of people. Tony manages to gather sympathy throughout the film as he just so happens to encounter a lot of scummy, horrible people. These people generate no sympathy for themselves, but not in a bad way. The film seems to suggest that we should all just be decent human beings. There's no harm in saying "hello" or having rational discussions. It's the hate and negativity aimed at Tony that fuels his actions. Peter Ferdinando gives a brilliant performance and carries Tony, realistically, through a wide range of scenarios, from unprovoked arguments, to awkward job interviews. A little, but well executed film.

This film literally just drops you into Tony's life and then drops you right back out again. The fact that i was so desperate for more is a good sign that what I did see was great. And the ending itself was quite well done with a great piece of music that, with what had come before, had deeper meaning for me - in other words it made my skin crawl. Which again, is a good thing !

I am assessing by its very simple decor, locations and shots that this was quite low budget which is a credit to the film-makers, actors and script writers. The story is completely focused on the life of a man named Tony. One could describe him as a loner, depressed, socially awkward and well...passive. As we get to see Tony though we come to the conclusion that he is more than f#@ked up and has crossed the 'weird psychopath' line well and truly.

I mean the guy has a Paul Young cassette for Christ sake!!!

The movie hinges on tony, a mild, meek guy, actually being a serial killer that like some real life serial killers (Nielsen, Dahmer) seems to crave company and not to be socially rejected. There is clear connection to the mentioned real life killers in Tony as he attends gay bars and only seems to kill men. Though Tony has a life and identity of his own and for the brief time I did get to follow him i was into it.

Those seeking blood, guts, gore, action, jump scares forget it. Tony is a character study which lingers artistically and builds a layer of dread throughout instead of shoving everything in a sleek, fast edited production.

Tony is a dark character study focusing on a week in the life of Tony, a British serial killer living in a London tower block. A socially awkward individual, Tony kills because it seems to be his only way to resolve difficult social situations. It is easier for him to commit murder than to relate to other people.

To a certain extent, the film's examination of Tony resembles the 1980s film, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Peter Ferdinando's performance rivals that of Michael Rooker in the latter film, giving Tony depth and sympathy. However, the film has a class context that sets it apart from the earlier work.

Paralleling Tony's bleak existence is the blighted section of London he lives in. Walking aimlessly through poor neighborhoods and interacting with their inhabitants, Tony's behavior comes to seem an understandable reaction to his social environment. Indeed, many of the people he encounters come across as even more savage in their own ways, whether through overt aggression or bureaucratic indifference.

The film does have some flaws that prevent it from being a true classic. There are a number of scenes dedicated to establishing Tony's lack of social skills, which at times come across as overkill. Given that the film originated as a short film, these scenes seem like filler meant to bring it to feature length. Nevertheless, this British film is definitely worth a rent.

A small budget, short film, well acted by all, the film puts the story across as a 'Fly On The Wall' real life drama and is really put across so very well, that this kind of person: Low life,no connections,loner could so easily do this kind of crime and get away with it, very easy without being ever getting caught.

Certain 'so called' reviewers have had a go at this gem of a Lottery financed film and if the truth be known these people have never lived in the East End of London, I do and have all my life , Tony is shot in the area and the surrounding neighbouring areas where I live.

There are literally hundreds of these kind of weird, lonely, strange and some dangerous psychos walking daily in the streets of East London, who knows? with so many "Have You Seen This Missing Person" posters all year round amounting to many people disappearing never to be found? This Tony character could easily be a real person.

Friends and other people who have seen the film, have all said the same as myself, make a sequel the film is brilliant...