There’s no place like your home’
Freehold is a 2017 British black comedy horror film directed by Dominic Bridges from a screenplay co-written with Rae Brunton (Outpost franchise).
The movie stars Javier Botet (The Conjuring 2; Mama), Mandeep Dhillon and Michael McKell.
Plot:
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.” Screen Daily
” …this is pitch black, tragic comedy through and through. Bridges may let the pacing slip a little as the third act comes around the bend, and the ending may be slightly too ambiguous for some, but that’s little complaint for what is a remarkably well handled debut feature – one with more than a little to say about ethics, greed, and British society in general.” Dread Central
“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.” 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.” Nerdly
“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.” 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.” Screen Anarchy
“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.” 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
“Distinguished by body shape, race and temperament, the two excellent leads here make for an engagingly odd couple, and DP Ben Moulden keeps the restricted location interesting by shooting it from every imaginable angle. Freehold is also, for all its intimacy, a distinctly topical film, offering a perverse kind of wish fulfilment for anyone who has had to deal with the vagaries of the metropolitan housing crisis or the amoral venality of estate agents.” SciFi Now
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…” @ssholes 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…” Talk Film Society
Cast and characters:
Javier Botet … Orlan
Mandeep Dhillon … Mel
Kola Bokinni … Sonny
Michael McKell … Gerry
Lee Macdonald … Locksmith
Mim Shaikh … Hussein
Dee Kaate … Freezer Delivery Guy 2
David Vujanic … Freezer Delivery Guy 1
Running time:
80 minutes
Film Facts:
The film was originally known as Two Pigeons
