A few weeks ago, one of the managers at the megaplex suggested that I see “Beast.” On June 2, I took his advice, and am pleased to report that his suggestion was valid. “Beast” is a very dark and disturbingly intense story about two “star-crossed lovers” who make Romeo and Juliet look pale.
The film, set in Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, was released in Britain in 2017, and has just now made it to our shores. The island is terrorized by a predator, and Paschal is a major suspect. He is drawn to Moll, a very unhappy member of a dysfunctional family that insists upon keeping her on a short leash. Moll’s name is an echo of American gangster slang, and foreshadows some unsavory revelations about her past; the family has good reasons for keeping her under control.
The cast, though unknown to the American audience, is excellent. The cinematography is excellent, and the plot has enough twists and turns to make Alfred Hitchcock envious.
The film will probably leave the theaters very soon, but the DVD should be effective.