I was exhausted but exhilarated after a taut 100 minutes of drama, and I can’t wait to do it all again…

You ask yourself how far you would go to save yourself and find yourself sympathising with the characters, even when their behaviour is indefensible. It’s a thriller rooted in reality – who hasn’t made a genuine mistake and made it worse by lying? The supporting cast of locals are fantastically menacing and give you the impression early on they would do anything to protect their village and its residents.Ĭalibre is a film that benefits from watching without reading spoilers beforehand, ignorance of the horrifying acts and their consequences only add to the swelling dread as the film reaches its climax. The jumpy handheld camerawork and soundtrack brilliantly capture the irrational mindset of two men struggling to contain their secrets.

Lead actors Lowden and McCann dazzle as their on-screen friendship collapses amid their guilt, paranoia and fear.

In Matt Palmer’s stunning debut feature, nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film, the constant sense of tension can be all consuming (but in a good way).

Calibre film reviews