Beast (2017)
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The story
Moll, a 27-year-old tour guide in Jersey, feels like a burden to her middle-class parents while caring for her father with dementia. The island is gripped by fear following a string of unsolved rape/murders of young girls. After a distressing incident at a nightclub, Moll meets Pascal, a man her family dismisses as a low-class loser. Despite warnings from the local police detective, Clifford, that Pascal is a suspect in a previous assault, Moll becomes drawn to him. As their relationship blossoms, Moll struggles with her own secrets and the growing tension of the community's fear.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Moll, a 27-year-old tour guide in Jersey, feels like a burden to her middle-class parents. While the island is haunted by a string of unsolved rape/murders, Moll meets Pascal, a man her family views as a loser. Despite police warnings that Pascal was convicted of sexual assault, Moll pursues a relationship with him. She eventually discovers he was a suspect in an earlier murder, but she continues to protect him, even lying to Detective Clifford. After a series of escalating tensions—including a confrontation at a country club and a police interrogation—Moll is plagued by guilt and nightmares. She attempts to make amends with a past victim but is rejected. When the police catch an immigrant farmer for the recent murders, Moll and Pascal celebrate, but their relationship turns violent when Pascal strangles her. Moll eventually admits her lies to Clifford. Later, she plies Pascal with alcohol and coaxes him into confessing to the murders, claiming she accepts him regardless. In a final act of violence, she unbuckles his seat belt, overturns their car, and strangles him to death.
- First release year
- 2017
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Michael Pearce
- Writers
- Michael Pearce · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jessie Buckley · Moll; Johnny Flynn · Pascal Renouf; Emily Taaffe · Tamara; Geraldine James · Hilary Huntingdon; Trystan Gravelle · Clifford; Oliver Maltman · Harrison; Charley Palmer Rothwell · Leigh Dutot; Shannon Tarbet · Polly
- Genres
- psychological thriller; mystery thriller
- Themes
- guilt; social isolation; secrets; domestic burden
- Tone and mood
- bleak; visceral; psychological
- Premise and plot tags
- psychological thriller; mystery; true crime inspiration
- Source material / true-story basis
- The true crimes of the serial rapist Edward Paisnel (1925–1994), also known as 'The Beast of Jersey'
- Reception
- The film received a positive critical response, described as 'bleak poetry' with 'mesmerizing, visceral visuals.' It was praised for its psychological thrills and captivating leads.
- Production trivia
- The film was inspired by the true crimes of Edward Paisnel, known as 'The Beast of Jersey'.; The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in the Platform section.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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