Medusa Deluxe

Set amongst the cut-throat world of a regional hairdressing contest, this rather thinly spread drama follows the antics of some would-be competitors who gather for their annual jamboree only to find that one of their number has been killed. Scalped, to be precise. As the story develops, we see that there are no shortage of suspects from the great and the good as the scene-stealing "Cleve" (Clare Perkins), "Divine" (Kayla Meikle) and "Kendra" (Harriet Webb) spat, squabble and spar like the best of them. They are all stuck waiting for the police to question them so tensions are only going to increase as they gossip, conspire and also demonstrate some considerably imaginative skills with their hairdos before: enter the partner of the victim. "Angel". At last some semblance of acting from the usually handsome but wooden Luke Pasqualino. Loads of stereotypes, yes, but he actually turns in quite an engaging performance as the camp-as-Christmas, distraught, mincer. Unfortunately, though, this is really just a one act play that has been overstretched into one hundred minutes of screen time, and though it most certainly has it's moments, there are too many extended tracking shots as the camera follows someone, somewhere, around their complex that seemed bigger than the Royal Albert Hall. There's simply too much padding around a story that could have done a little more to develop the personalities more. It is underpinned by some effective black humour - and some of that delivers well and caustically (especially from Perkins) but there's too much of a paucity of that to stop this from feeling rather longer than it is. It looks every a inch a television play, and as such does it's job fine - but I wouldn't say you need to buy a ticket to watch it.

I randomly booked into see this film, knowing basically nothing about it apart from the two word synopsis "murder, hairdressing". Sign me up! It's got to be one of the most entertaining cinema experiences I've had in the last year.

Set backstage in a run-down events centre outside Preston bus-station, every character feels alive (a little stage-y perhaps). It's pretty funny, although it makes you wait for the darkest-of-dark humour to develop. The film is presented as a Children of Men-style real-time single shot and the camera's always following someone down a rabbit hole - it feels like there's always a lot more plot going on than perhaps there actually is. The whodunnit is not the most compelling thing about the film - it really nails it's atmosphere, characters, costumes and hair (naturally!)

It's beautifully filmed, soundtrack is great too - see it on the biggest screen you can find.

I wanted to watch a comedy and this film was listed as a comedy. First off, I am not adverse to what is called "black/dark comedy". Not at all. In fact I found "A Clockwork Orange" to be rife with "black/dark comedy". Also, thoroughly enjoyed "Tucker and Dale vs Evil". All that said, this film should not be listed in any genre of comedy. I watched it 3/4 through and there was not even one scene of any comedic merit. Nothing. In addition, the acting was often very bad, the dialogue was often awful and the overall story-line was disjointed and confusing. Not to mention the endless and TEDIOUS filler scenes of people going up or down stairs and walking through hallways. If you are looking for a comedy, skip this slop.

Murder at the hairdressing competition. It's like the title Agatha Cristie forgot to write. We don't get a Poirot however, just a bunch of unlikeable characters chattering away for 90 minutes. We don't get to meet the victim, he's already cold when the movie opens, nor do we geet to meet the detectives working the case. We"re stuck with the models and collegues of the victim. It's a directorial choice offcourse. Just as the fact that the whole movie is filmed (or appears to be filmed) in one take. Which means a director going on an egotrip and an audience that has to suffer through endless shots of people walking through corridors. As you can tell I wasn't particularly taken with Medusa Deluxe. When we finally get to know whodunnit I was long past caring.

Medusa Deluxe offers a visually striking and stylistically ambitious experience, featuring a faux single-take camera that glides through the hallways and dressing rooms of a regional hairstyling competition just before one of the contestants, Mosca, is murdered. The film introduces a large cast of suspicious characters-rivals, lovers, and associates-creating an atmosphere filled with intrigue and gossip.

However, despite its unique visual approach, the movie falls short narratively. The plot lacks depth and momentum, and the characters never develop beyond surface-level traits. The initial mystery quickly loses steam, and the pacing slows considerably, making it hard to stay engaged.

The long-take technique, while impressive and fluid, ultimately works against the film. Without real suspense or danger in the characters' movements, it drags on, stretching the runtime and diluting the tension. As a whodunit, Medusa Deluxe disappoints; it feels more like a stylish showcase of dialogue and cinematography rather than a compelling mystery.

Director Thomas Hardiman and cinematographer Robbie Ryan deliver a sleek and elegant film, but it's missing the emotional punch needed to make the story resonate.