The Debt Collector
1999
Mean, gritty, dirty and low, and that's just the policeman Gary Keltie, out for retribution for the horrendous crimes against the helpless people of Edinburgh during the 1970s, by notorious, torturous, and killer, debt collector Nickie Dryden.
Reviews
John Chard
The debt that must be paid.
To date this remains the only film Anthony Neilson has directed, in fact, he also wrote it and his writing credits can also be counted on one hand. This is a crime, for The Debt Collector is a powerhouse film, a grim and grungy piece of British miserablism that serves to gnaw away at your senses.
Billy Connolly stars as ex-con Nickie Dryden, who after release from prison marries and tries to start afresh as an artist. But there is a vengeful policeman on his tail, Gary Keltie (Ken Stott), who believes nobody should ever forget the crimes that Dryden perpetrated.
Stripping it down it's a tale of repercussions of actions, of perceived retribution and of off-kilter hero worship. Right from the off you know this is a tragedy piece, something Shakespearian like, clearly we are not in this part of Edinburgh to be cheered up! The colour photography (Dick Pope) is beautiful and belies the harsh nature of the story, while Neilson shows some splendid flighty camera work that gracefully marries up with the great performances of his two lead actors.
It's a punch in the face movie, attention grabbing for sure, but it also taxes the brain. An unjustly neglected film that deserves to be sought out by more lovers of gritty British cinema. 9/10
Footnote: Subtitles might be required for non British viewers. see more
16 May 2024
More like this
The Filth and the Fury
2000
2001: A Space Odyssey
1968
Back to the Future Part II
1989
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2008
Alien³
1992
Flatliners
1990
Goldfinger
1964
Return of the Jedi
1983
Stand by Me
1986
The Ring
2002
PERFECT DAYS
2023
Shanghai Knights
2003
The Running Man
1987
Titanic
1997
Mulan
1998
Frozen
2013
기생충
2019
Taxi Driver
1976
Stuart Little
1999
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
1988