Mr In-Between

Mr In-between is strong medicine. There's no nodding off in this film. Contrary to another reviewer the direction and cinematography are both excellent. But it is not a feel-good movie. It is a powerful tale that will have you reaching for a double of the strong stuff from the nearest bar. In fact, have that double before seeing the movie - you'll thank me! And after...you'll want to see it again.

Jon (Andrew Howard) is a cold blood and very efficient assassin and torturer with no friends, who works to his mentor and protector, the sadistic Tattooed Man (David Calder). The murders of Jon are very clean and sophisticated, as if they were a work of art. When Jon meets his former school friend Andy (Andrew Thiernan) and his wife Cathy (Geraldine O'Rawe), his world becomes divided by life (with Andy and Cathy) and death (with Tattooed Man), and Jon becomes a conflicted man, living between good and evil in the in-between of these realities, and trying to redeem his soul.

"Mr. In-Between" is probably the greatest surprise of the year for me, a gem to be discovered by movie-lovers. This low-budget movie, if found by the viewers, certainly will become a cult-movie. The frightening and awesome story showing the personification of evil is spectacular, without any concessions to any characters. The battle between the good and the evil is amazing, and there are two specific scenes that impressed me a lot: the first one when Jon "saves" Cathy and her daughter from the Tattooed Man; and when the Father vomits in the church after hearing the confession of Jon, when he asked: "-Do you still love me, Father?". The direction is amazing, using magnificently the camera. Andrew Howard is one of the most scariest killers I have ever seen in films, and his cruelty is comparable to John Doe (Kevin Space) in "Seven". David Calder is perfect as the personification of the Devil, in a cruel and sadistic character. Sometimes, some friends of mine question me why I spend time watching B or C-movies, instead of only classics and famous movies. Movies like "Mr. In-Between" show that my procedure is correct, otherwise I would never find unknown jewels like this one. I am very impressed with this movie, scarier than most of the Hollywood horror movies, which I recommend to a very specific audience. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Sr. Morte" ("Mr. Death")

Note: On 03 April 2022, I saw this film again.

I first saw this film several years ago but some of its imagery is indelibly scorched into my brain. What the film appears to lack in budget it more than makes up for with directorial vision. Also incredible writing. Deeply unsettlng, the key performances are absolutely note perfect. I can't imagine a better actor in the lead... horribly matter-of-fact, cold as ice, colder. Strange paranormal and occult undertones. The sort of thing to have nightmares about, particularly those who rarely get shaken by what they see on screen. Mesmerising, genius even. Something to watch if you feel jaded or bored by the same old same old, this will affect you to your core...

As a big fan of the book, I was thrilled to find out that it had been made into a film. I certainly wasn't disappointed. It's tense and well-paced with a wonderful cast. I've not encountered Andrew Howard before, I don't think, but he portrayed a man whose humanity is slowly leached from him with absolute conviction. So much better than the slew of British gangster films which have emerged recently, avoiding gimmicky camerawork and actors more known for the celebrity than their talent. Strongly recommended, even for those who aren't necessarily fans of the genre.

I've very little time for the Brit crime explosion of recent years, especially all those cheeky chappy Cockney gangster movies inspired by Guy Ritchie. Even 'Sexy Beast' didn't quite do it for me. Apart from the underrated 'Gangster No.1' these movies aren't a patch on 1980s Brit gangster classics like 'The Long Good Friday' or 'The Hit'. I nearly bypassed 'Mr. In-Between' at first thinking it was going to more of the same, but it's actually much richer and more interesting. I was shocked at how impressed I was by this film. I'd definitely say it's one of the most underrated British movies of the last ten years. The story concerns a British hit man working for a gangster but the characters are more complex than usual and the plot doesn't go in the same old tired directions. The movie is a first for the director (Paul Sarossy) and writer (Paul Waddington). Sarossy is a Canadian cinematographer who has worked on some of Atom Egoyan's best known movies, and Waddington is usually an actor. But boy, is this an impressive debut! Andrew Howard is an unfamiliar face to me but he gives a superb performance as Jon, the hit man. Equally good is David Calder, the "Tattooed Man", Jon's enigmatic boss. The relationship between the two is left ambiguous, and that's one of the things which makes this movie a cut above your standard thriller. In fact even calling it a thriller at all may be doing it a bit of a disservice. I highly recommend 'Mr In-Between' for those who enjoy dramas with a bit of depth and subtlety, and I really hope that Paul Sarossy gets the opportunity to direct again as he shows great promise. This movie is destined to become a cult favourite.