(spoiler free)
‘Sherlock’ star Andrew Scott is top billing in new mystery thriller, ‘Steel Country’. From first time writer Brendan Higgins and director Simon Fellows the film’s plot focuses around Scott’s character, sanitation truck driver Donald. After discovering that a local boy has gone missing Donald takes matters into his own hands in order to unearth the truth behind his disappearance.
A binman playing detective is a somewhat odd premise for the film, although it does give what would just be a normal crime drama a slightly unique edge. Maybe it’s this random premise or just the pacing of the film but ‘Steel Country’ is quite slow to start and might evoke the feeling that not a whole lot is going to happen. Despite this the longer the film goes on the better it becomes, developing nicely into a compelling mystery drama with a powerful ending. Renamed ‘A Dark Place’ in a confusingly inconsistent fashion this is an apt title with some of the film’s content really delving into challenging territory, some of which may prove too much for select viewers. It’s the way in which this content is worked into the screenplay that truly captivates viewers in the film’s final moments though, leaving a profound impact with the audience.
In the film’s unconvincing beginnings there is one constant element of quality and that is Bronagh Waugh’s performance. She plays Donald’s work colleague, Donna, skillfully masking her usual accent feeling perfectly at home in this US setting. It’s a shame that she has such a small role here as she’s a character with a story of her own which is hinted at throughout. Despite her underdevelopment her presence always brings with it an impressive authenticity consistently enhancing the film. Similarly to the narrative, Andrew Scott’s leading performance is a little jarring at first but the longer we spend in his presence the more accustomed we become to his turn here. He too does well to mask his natural accent and tackles this complex role well, winning over the audience in the same way that the narrative does.
With a strong emphasis on small town politics and paranoia this mystery won’t have the scale to intrigue some audiences but those willing to go with its slow burn will be satisfied come the credits. With vital support from Waugh, impossible to ignore, Scott overcomes the complexities of his role to deliver a strong central performance proving capable of keeping the film engaging. Ultimately ‘Steel Country’ struggles to immediately captivate but if audiences are willing to adopt the slow pace of its small town setting this mystery thriller is definitely worth investing in.
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 7/10
Question: What is your favourite Andrew Scott film role?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)
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