Muscle

I find the film a bit disappointing because the story ends abruptly without any resolution. The final fifteen minutes create so many questions that are not answered.

A middle aged man crying on the way to a job he hates, is one of multiple images in this excellent nightmare that remains in the mind long after the film's end. Craig Fairbrass career best departure from 2 dimensional meatheat goons ,walks a line between being tender , menacing , funny and mysterious whilst Cavan Clerkin's metamorphosis is subtle and intriguing. There were so many opportunities where this film could have gone full blown Channel 5 after the plot was established, but it holds its nerve and stands its ground to remain original to the last scene. It's a very modern story which I'm sure will gather traction and status over the next few years as it is discovered. We must remember Sexy Beast was all but binned until other countries discovered it, it later was represented to us as a well loved classic. Without A listers to attract you, dream sequences to impress you , this black and white tale reveals much in the grey area for you and your friends to discuss. Excellent.

This film really kept me gripped for the first two thirds of the film and was heading for a 7-8 rating particularly with the performance of Fairbrass who I'm a huge fan of.

However it is ruined by a pointless unsatisfactory ending that left me feeling hugely disappointed. It was as if the writer didn't know where to go with it and it peters out into nothing. I also dont understand why the film was done in black and white. Not sure what that added. Would have been better in colour.

Thought MUSCLE was going to be another average film but from the first 10 minutes I was hooked on the people involved and the story. The acting was excellent specially Craig Fairbrass. Fine direction and the black and white also added to the movie. Well worth the money to get the dvd and have a look.

Very fine performance by Cavan Clerkin as the hapless call centre drone who gets sucked into an ever worsening nightmare via a dubious personal trainer. The sound design is particularly effective, with the sounds of the weights hitting the racks enough to make you recoil from the deafening clatter.

Whatever the opposite of a feel-good film is, this is it, but it holds one"s interest as the protagonist's dilemma becomes increasingly desperate. The black and white cinematography serves the bleak setting and storyline well. The abrupt ending will leave some viewers frustrated, but is certainly preferable to a pat and predictable conclusion that would have been the choice of a Hollywood studio.