Every now and again a film comes along that proves that you don't need mega bucks to make an imaginative and entertaining film. Nick Whitfield's Skeletons is such a film offering a simply-shot, surreal and engaging comedy that has echoes of Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind done in the style of Withnail and I.
The two central characters Bennett and Davis are exorcists but not in the traditional sense. Watched over by The Colonel (Jason Isaacs) they are hired to exorcise skeletons from closets. Donning protective aprons and goggles, they harness special powers, channeled through some shiny stones and enter the closet to erase the embarrassing little secrets by inhabiting them.
Each has his own weakness which could affect their future career in the skeleton exorcising business. Davis likes to be a voyeur of his own memories in his spare time which could corrupt his powers and Bennett always feels some sort of obligation to the people whose secrets have been exposed, finding it difficult to walk away when the job is done.
Their strengths and weaknesses are put to the test when asked to examine the skeletons in the closet of a husband missing from his family for eight years. To say more would spoil it but overall the film is laugh out loud funny with some lovely touching moments.
Skeletons is definitely a classic British film in the making. It's only got a limited release but it would be a shame if more people didn't see it.
Other people's views
Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian gave it four stars describing it as a both odd and funny but overall a breath of fresh air.
Film Four website gave it four stars concluding: "This bleakly comic high-concept psychodrama about family, memory and grief defies easy categorisation or summary - but missing it would be your loss."
Rotten Tomatoes UK gave it 77%
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