★★★1/2

A young woman named Moll (Jessie Buckley), often passed over and neglected by her family, takes an interest in a newcomer’s arrival on a remote island in Beast, the directorial debut of Michael Pearce.

Pascal (Johnny Flynn) serves as something of a handyman, but suspicion swirls around his arrival, quickly becoming a person of interest in a series of brutal murders. Insisting his innocence, Moll falls for him, and he provides her the appearance of someone who she feels truly sees her and cares for her for the first time.

Pearce’s film is compelling, though it retains a slow-burning nature in the first half, which could be tighter and more engaging. Excellent performances, Buckley is a star-in-the-making here, keeps us interested while Pearce wrestles with consistency in tone and atmosphere.

Beast offers a whopper of a final act, which may polarize its audience, but this is, overall, a accomplished debut feature which flirts with greatness.

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James
DIrector: Michael Pearce
Running Time: 107 Minutes

SIFF SHOWTIMES:
May 20 | Ark Lodge | 8:00 PM
May 21 | Pacific Place | 9:30 PM