Review of Sightseers

Sightseers (2012)
8/10
Morbid humor isn't for everyone. But if you enjoyed films such as Harold & Maude, look no further than this for flashes of delight and some laugh out loud moments.
17 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
You may have heard of the excellent 2011 British horror film "Kill List", a collaboration between Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump. Fast forward to 2012 and they have reunited to produce offbeat black comedy thriller, Sightseers — less somber in tone and many times more in doses of humor. Written by Steve Oram and Alice Lowe (both of whom also starr as lead characters), this film revolves around two lovebirds who take off on a caravanning trip around England. Chris is a loving boyfriend to Tina, who lives with a cranky old mother at home. Wanting to break free from routine, Tina accepts his offer of going on a week long getaway — with his MPV and a caravan in tow. Along their journey, they meet strangers who manage to annoy Chris with the most trivial of transgressions. One bloke dirties the tour bus with a scrap of ice-cream wrapper and refuses to pickup the garbage. And poetic justice (or karma) punishes the litter bug when later, Chris accidentally runs him over (and leaves him for dead) in the parking lot. Nothing must get in the way of a fun-filled holiday! The narrative trots along and accelerates in morbidity as Tina and Chris gain more rapport as partners-to-be on a killing spree. They bond over common interests and shared world views while beginning a string of random murders with such bizarre violence and hilarity that would make all seven psychopaths in "Seven Psychopaths" seem like amateurs in kiddyland. Sightseers is clever, well-paced and entertaining. Alice Lowe has a flair for scenes involving awkward situations and delivers (her performance as Tina) with a great sense of deadpan comic timing. Morbid humor in the league of dead-baby jokes isn't for everyone. But if you enjoyed films such as Harold & Maude, look no further than this for flashes of delight and some laugh out loud moments.
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