There’s no place like your home’
Freehold – aka Two Pigeons – is a 2017 British black comedy horror film directed by Dominic Bridges from a screenplay co-written with Rae Brunton (Outpost franchise). It stars Javier Botet, Mandeep Dhillon and Michael McKell.
An oily, amoral estate agent is preyed upon by one of his victims, who quietly moves into his flat and, unseen, begins a deliciously malicious campaign of revenge…
Reviews:
“A claustrophobic black comedy which initially seems surreal but becomes disturbingly more credible as its bizarre situation is explored, director Dominic Bridges’ debut feature demonstrates that there are few horrors an audience will not tolerate – indeed, will encourage – if the victim involved is suitably odious.” Kim Newman, Screen Daily
“Co-writer/director Dominic Bridge’s pitch-black comedy effectively crawls under your skin, but its lack of any sort of cohesive resolution makes Two Pigeons something of a befuddling affair in the end (which is a shame, because I was wholly transfixed throughout the rest of the film). We get no sense of finality in the conflict between Hussein and his sadistic antagonist, leaving me with a bit of a “ho-hum” feeling at the conclusion of Two Pigeons.” Heather Wixson, Daily Dead
“Freehold builds a creepy, skin-crawling sense of dread from the get-go, thanks to the melancholy soundtrack and the work of Javier Botet […] The subtle way in which Orlan encroaches on Hussein’s life is actually a [dark] joy to watch, slowly becoming more and more horrific and more and more brazen, yet somehow still being darkly hilarious.” Phil Wheat, Nerdly
” …finds entertainment in dark mind-fucking comedics – but not enough to sustain Dominic Bridges’ slow-simmering room share. The ideas are there and Javier Botet does his best to pull us into his deranged world, but good luck fully comprehending why. It all feels longer than it should be, even at eighty minutes.” Matt Donato, We Got This Covered
“Had the ending (up to and including the credits) been recalibrated, Bridges’ debut could have reached the next level he’s aiming for. As is, the social drama feels a bit ham-fisted. Even so, Two Pigeons has enough nasty treats in store to at least warrant a look from genre fans.” Tom Kiesecoms, Screen Anarchy
“Though masterful in its imagery and sound design, and memorable in its outstanding cast, the style and acting does not make up for the missed opportunities to resolve character arcs, which in turn resulted in an underwhelming third act. The hard truth is that Two Pigeons would have been at its strongest as a short film. Its stagnant pacing and dead-end character arc made for a lacklustre viewing experience…” Anya Novak, Diabolique
“Director Dominic Bridges intentionally unsettles atmosphere this way, making for a movie that always knows what it is doing, even when the audience doesn’t. Whether this approach translates into entertainment or appreciation for the artistry depends on how many minutes one wishes to spend in the often uncomfortable presence of these two often awkward men.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt
“Thanks to its excellent balance of humor and horror, and the compelling physical presence of Botet, Two Pigeons will make you check your closets and under your bed every time you misjudge how much toilet paper you had.” The Wolfman Cometh
Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk
“This movie seriously preys on our unconscious fears: that even with our doors safely locked, our bodies, our safety, our personal space are not inviolable while we sleep. Every day, Orlan’s violation and desecration escalates. YOUR SKIN WILL CRAWL. The one problem I had with the film is how unperceptive Hussein is. It feels just a tad too much that no matter how far Orlan takes the transgressions, Hussein just kind of shrugs it off…” Assholes Watching Movies
“Two Pigeons has the kind of concept that would work great for a 15 minute short film; unfortunately this debut feature from Dominic Bridges is over five times that length, and it’s easy to get disinterested by the languid pacing. There aren’t any twists in Orlan’s objective, whether they be deliberate or unintended. And it seems to take forever to get to its predictable culmination…” Rob Trench, Talk Film Society
Main cast:
Javier Botet (The Conjuring 2; Mama) Mandeep Dhillon, Michael McKell, Kola Bokinni, Dee Kaate, Lee Macdonald, Mim Shaikh, David Vujanic.
Running time:
80 minutes
Trivia:
The film was originally known as Two Pigeons
IMDb
