Mister John review

Trouble away from home

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Like a more restrained, less (over)stylised version of Only God Forgives , Mister John is another Far East-set tale of a brother’s death and its effect on those left behind.

Adrift in Singapore, Gerry (Aidan Gillen) is haunted by thoughts of his cheating wife back home while finding himself drawn to his sibling’s widow (Zoe Tay).

Husband-and-wife writing/directing duo Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy punctuate their sparse, muted drama with flashes of dark humour. Pacing is on the stately side, but a stoic Gillen is superb as a man silently imploding with desperation.

Freelance Writer

Ann is a freelance film writer and editor. Member of the London Critics, Ann has written for The Guardian, Total Film, the BFI, Radio Times, The Independent, the Telegraph, the iPaper, and more.