Tony

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.

This movie takes a small peek into the life of a middle-aged, lonely, action-movie obsessed serial killer named Tony.

Tony's life is dull. No job, no love-life, no real anything. He's just a human being that is going through the motions. Or so it would seem from the outside looking in. The movie Tony focuses on a killer that gets away with killing because that person, the type of person that Tony exemplifies, is never focused on.

One of the posters for this movie has a tag-line that hangs under the seemingly unaware and blood-smattered Tony, and says: It's Always the Quiet Ones. I can't say for sure if that's always the case or not, but it's something that we all think. That man looming alone under that tree. That guy with the blank stare who came out of nowhere to tell you what he thought of the store across the street. The ones that have their own agendas, but are never noticed…that is, until it's too late.

Tony is a well-thought out serial killer film that focuses on the character, the killer. And for it to work, the acting and writing not only have to be good, they should be realistic; and they were. Not only was our Tony played with style and intelligence, but every secondary character in the movie was also played well. The vibe of the movie and overall idea being displayed never faltered, and we were left with a study of a serial killer, that at one point, I began to feel pity for. Gerard Johnson, the director, needs to be applauded for the movies' fruition.

A rather short feature film that was chock full of fine performances and ideas. If you're in the mood for a different approach to the sub-genre of serial killers, I would definitely recommend you give this a shot. This film and the amazing, Angst, would make for a great serial-killer double feature.

I've been wanting to see this for a while, but when I saw it on the listings for the Horror channel, I thought it couldn't be too much cop. How wrong I was...

Tony focuses on the disturbing, lonely and bleak existence of, well, Tony, as he wanders aimlessly through life with no goal, direction or ambition. Just another sad case, with a shambling walk, a bad haircut and even worse moustache, the sort of bloke you give a wide berth to as you wonder what he's wearing underneath his long coat, but one that would kill and dismember you as easily as you would peel a banana.

Peter Ferdinano is truly creepy as the main man, from the way he just stares at other people going about their business, to the awkward, stunted conversations he has to endure, through to when he suddenly and explosively reacts with extreme violence. Despite his hopeless and frequently vile existence though, it is almost difficult to not sometimes feel a tiny pang of sympathy for him. He has no job, no friends, lives in a squalid council flat and spends his days watching violent 80's action movies on VHS; he just truly does not know how to interact with other human beings... except when they are no longer living. Tony differs from other serial killer movies though, such as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. In Henry, he is truly a monster, killing anyone that just happens to take his fancy or just happens to cross his path at the wrong time. With Tony, there is always a provocation of some sort that pushes him to the kill (granted, sometimes very slight), which is a true insight into a certain type of killers mind - able to operate in society at a base level, but unable to cope with rejection or threat (there is one murder in the film that I pretty much guarantee will make you cheer though!).

There is no denying the character here and the similarities with real-life serial killer Dennis Nilsen - the way he keeps corpses in his flat and has conversations with them for example, and the numerous references to 'the drains' and the smell. This all adds to the already realistic tone and pace of the movie, as it's not a case of 'this could happen', it more or less has.

Speaking of realism, one of the strongest points this movie offers is the acting. The lowlifes, scumbags, thugs, druggies and bullies that Tony meets on his wanderings are acted so well, that this is almost the most depressing slice of the film. Living in London, you see these people day in and day out. It's not glamorous and nothing is overacted. We all know a Paul (acted superbly by Ricky Grover): fat, loud, foul-mouthed council estate bully, and we've all seen the likes of the two low-life druggies Tony encounters early in the movie; always on the take, checking the change drop in phone boxes for spare coins while searching for their next hit.

There are some strong elements of gore in the movie, but it is never gratuitous, and certainly not there just for the hell of it. A terrifying aspect of Tony is the casual indifference he displays when either committing a murder or disposing of the corpse afterwards, yet more examples of Ferdinando's fine acting.

The film is quite short, and if you are the kind of viewer who wants answers to why things happen, then you will not find them here; this is like watching a short piece of someone's life, and then just moving on. Anyone abroad watching this would also probably be put off coming to London for life too. I wouldn't recommend this for date night.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, but you won't be feeling good afterwards. It is almost too realistic, and will make you look twice at the strange, shambling man in the local supermarket staring at the dog biscuits for a bit too long.

Meet Tony, perhaps the most understated and naturalistic Serial Killer ever put to the cinema screen...

I saw this film at Manchester's Grimm Up North festival and was completely taken by surprise. Not knowing quite what to expect, the film grabbed me from the first minute with a deliciously dark, creep and comic turn by Peter Ferdinando as the titular character. Made with an intelligence rarely seen in this end of the genre scale, Tony is fascinating from beginning to end, and offers a great social comment on London's outsiders, and how society treats the 'invisible' amongst us.

Working with a low-budget, the filmmakers have made a classic film here, with every element of the film's production worth a shout. The direction from Gerard Johnson is superb, the acting from all concerned is spot on, the cinematography lends the film a suitably dark and grimy feel and the music, by Matt Johnson from The The fame, matches the visuals perfectly without ever detracting or pulling you out of the film's journey.

But it's Peter Ferdinando who really stands out here, creating a character that deserves to take pride of place next to other famous filmic serial killers such as Henry, Patrick Bateman, Dr Lecter and Ezra Cobb from Deranged, with a pitch-perfect tone that would, in all honesty, creep you out if you ever met him on the street.

I hear the film is due a release in the UK in February, and thoroughly recommend you make the effort to see it. UK low-budget film-making of the highest order...

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.