FilmInk
At a time when Wheatley’s native England is still in the middle of a pretty volatile separation period, this film’s examination of hostility, but also the need for peace, feels especially needed.
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Happy New Year, Colin Burstead
Tragicomedy from English filmmaker Ben Wheatley (Sightseers). Colin (Neil Maskell) hires a lavish country manor for his large extended family to celebrate New Year. When his black sheep brother (Sam Riley) unexpectedly arrives, the already cantankerous family dynamic is thrown far off orbit.
2019Rating: MA15+, Strong coarse language.95 minsUK
ComedyDrama
- Director:
- Ben Wheatley ('Kill List', 'Sightseers', 'A Field in England')
- Writer:
- Ben Wheatley
- Cast:
- Sam RileyNeil MaskellJoe ColeCharles DanceBill PatersonHayley SquiresDoon MackichanAlexandra Maria LaraSura Dohnke
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead / Reviews
Sydney Morning Herald
Why should we care about this unhappy family when their unhappiness is neither distinctive nor memorable? If we have to rely simply on the quality of the insults, all is lost.
Full reviewNew Zealand Listener
Ultimately, this comedy of bad manners is compelling in the way of Yorgos Lanthimos (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite) where you watch, wide-eyed, unable to look away. Some may find that Colin Burstead doesn’t quite reach those ecstatic heights, but if you have a heart for British misanthropy, this one’s for you.
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Stuff
Some may find it a little too stagey, others won't appreciate the dark humour, but, during this holiday season, Happy New Year, Colin Burstead might make you thankful that your family isn't as dysfunctional as this one.
Full reviewStuff
Some may find it a little too stagey, others won't appreciate the dark humour, but, during this holiday season, Happy New Year, Colin Burstead might make you thankful that your family isn't as dysfunctional as this one.
Full review
Variety
Ben Wheatley strips things way back for his nerve-raddled family reunion comedy, and the result is one of his best, most fluid films.
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The Guardian
Every minute of this film has something of interest, every frame is well composed. And yet I admit I found there was something a bit contrived and unreal about it, like an epic improv session.
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Screen Daily
This never quite feels entirely its own film. As a display of terrific acting, however, Happy New Year... comes up trumps.
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Hollywood Reporter
Plenty of classy ingredients here, but Wheatley's tentative first foray into the realm of adult drama is not the heart-bruising emotional assault course it could have been.
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