Award-winning actors Kelly Macdonald and Damian Lewis are set to collaborate with director Euros Lyn for the dark comedy thriller "The Radleys," a Lionsgate film. Talitha Stevenson and Jo Brand pen the film's screenplay, an adaption of author Haig's 2010 same-titled young adult novel.
The Radley family, comprised of Peter Radley (portrayed by Damian Lewis), his spouse Helen (played by Kelly Macdonald), and their children Clara and Rowan, presents themselves as an ordinary suburban family held high esteem within their community. However, a compelling secret is concealed beneath this facade: they are vampires. After an event involving Clara, a homicide occurs, prompting the family to seek assistance from their estranged Uncle Will (also portrayed by Damian Lewis), Peter's identical twin, who has fully embraced his vampiric nature.
Uncle Will consents to aiding in the cover-up of the murder, aspiring to facilitate the family's fulfillment of their potential as nocturnal creatures. Consequently, the family's tranquil rural existence is disrupted as the revelatory truth of their vampirism emerges. I didn't realize the film was adapted from the novel, so I was mainly there as a Lewis fan. His turns as twins are excellent, and the doubling of personalities is transposed perfectly. Macdonald is suitable as a dutiful wife and mother, but she has a secret that could destroy her life.
In the roles of Clara (Bo Bragason) and Rowan (Harry Baxendale), both young actors cope with their strange backgrounds, and Rowan is the film's narrator. Rowan explains it all about family life, at least how he sees it. The way his mind works the world still is to him, from his burgeoning homosexuality to his idiot-savant sister's crush on Evan, a nice lad who doesn't want to sleep with her and who Clara (who is determined to do so) is desperate to be friends with.
Stylistically, Lyn's direction is vivid. The suburban backdrop of pastels and pristine lawns is jarring by contrast to the dark undercurrents, and this tension is heightened further still by the cinematography (by [insert name]), which utilizes clever framings and atmospheric lighting to make even the most seemingly mundane scenes feel increasingly ominous.
"The Radleys" is a success thanks to its pitch-black sense of humor and its slick handling of suspense. A tremendous sense of pace propels the film from twist to turn as we uncover the backstory of this family that 'eats' stray animals and the lengths to which they'll go to hide the monstrous truth from those around them. Identity, acceptance, loving one's family — nothing is off-limits here.
The film exhibits a robust comedic element while acknowledging the gravity of its underlying themes. It delves into the complexities of alienation, fear, and the struggle to maintain a facade of normalcy, thereby transcending the mere realm of light-hearted humor.
Although the Radleys are far from perfect, their narrative is nevertheless a symbol of the difficulties of family life, the otherness of our offspring, and the secrets we keep.
Final Grade: B
THE RADLEYS will be in Theaters, On Digital and On Demand October 4, 2024.
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