Andrew Scott (whom I was not familiar with prior to this film) gives an Oscar worthy performance as a sanitation worker somewhere on the spectrum or possibly Borderline Personality Disorder. Despite character assertions that he "is not a smart man", we learn this is not true as he pieces together parts of a murder and the dark past that surrounds it. Despite his inner turmoil, he is able to hold down a steady job and engage in social interactions when needed or desired. He is a kind, gentle soul who struggles in caring for his elderly mother and believes there is hope in a relationship with a woman with whom a relationship never even existed. However, the brief union did result in a lovely daughter who shares his kindheartedness. Perhaps she is part of his drive to find the killer of another child (we know the child is dead from the trailers and the first few minutes of the film). This takes place in a small town in the rust belt and political commentary is made without words in the first few minutes of the film where we see closed-down buildings with old election signs, expressing the irony. Some may be turned off by this, but you do not need to be of a certain party to appreciate this intense, haunting thriller. Scott is magnetic and the other characters are all exceptionally interesting and well-acted. It is a very slow-burn that completely engulfed me. This movie is disturbing in subject, but not gory or violent.
Review of A Dark Place
