Heel

by Mike McGranaghan

The thriller Heel is known as The Good Boy in its native England. Presumably, the title was changed for the North American release to avoid being confused with the recent canine horror film Good Boy. There are two full minutes of production company logos at the very start, which may sound excessive, but they provide a good chance to brace yourself for an intense story that hits the ground running and never stops.

Tommy (Anson Boon) is a young punk who likes to party, take drugs, and hit on women. In attitude and demeanor, he’s reminiscent of Mark Renton, the character memorably played by Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting. During one particularly festive night on the town, Tommy is abducted. He wakes up in the basement of a country estate owned by the jittery Chris (Stephen Graham), his seemingly traumatized wife Kathryn (Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). A chain around his neck prevents him from moving too far from the mattress on the floor that serves as his bed. Also lurking around is Rina (Monika Frajczyk), a foreign housekeeper who clearly fears Chris.

Two levels of suspense are at play here. The obvious one is whether Tommy will be able to escape his confinement. The other is even more intriguing. For a long time, we aren’t sure why the family is holding him. Chris beats him into submission when necessary and forces him to watch his own Instagram videos, wherein he engages in destructive mischief. I don’t want to give anything away, except to say that the tension grows significantly once Tommy gets a sense of what they’re up to and starts playing along. Or maybe he’s not playing, a possibility that brings up a whole other set of horrors.

Director Jan Komasa (Anniversary) provides Heel with a tone and atmosphere that are darkly seductive. You wait nervously to see what turn the story will take next. Excellent performances help sell a story that’s admittedly a bit far-fetched. Graham gives Chris a nebbishy personality that can turn terrifyingly hostile at a moment’s notice. We fear this guy in either state. Boon infuses Tommy with a credible rebellious streak that makes his scenes with Graham explosive. Riseborough’s role is trickier, as Kathryn needs to be enigmatic, but the actress is totally up to the task.

The subplot involving Rina doesn’t go anywhere particularly meaningful. The movie would have been fine with her cut out, especially since the arc ends abruptly and in an unsatisfying manner. Beyond that, Heel is a terrific, well-acted picture that leaves viewers at an unexpectedly emotional place at the end. It’s full of wonderful surprises.

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