Mr In-Between

Ok, don't let the title throw you off. It's not so bad I want to vomit. It's because it was so good that I'm physically feeling nauseated at the moment. It's not because of blood or gore. This movie is so disturbing it's ridiculous. This is why I prefer thrillers to most other horror movies though. Suspense in a realistic situation is so much more motivating than blood, guts, and monsters. Man, it's hard to put into words the emotions that I feel after finishing this movie. I don't think my wife could watch it to be honest. I'm glad I watched it while she's at work today. I'm not normally moved by movies much. In fact, I think this is the first movie about a hitman that I've ever watched and didn't have some fun thoughts about killing people afterwards.(yes, I have a morbid sense of humor) DISTURBING is the perfect 1 word description for this movie if you need one.

I've very little time for the Brit crime explosion of recent years, especially all those cheeky chappy Cockney gangster movies inspired by Guy Ritchie. Even 'Sexy Beast' didn't quite do it for me. Apart from the underrated 'Gangster No.1' these movies aren't a patch on 1980s Brit gangster classics like 'The Long Good Friday' or 'The Hit'. I nearly bypassed 'Mr. In-Between' at first thinking it was going to more of the same, but it's actually much richer and more interesting. I was shocked at how impressed I was by this film. I'd definitely say it's one of the most underrated British movies of the last ten years. The story concerns a British hit man working for a gangster but the characters are more complex than usual and the plot doesn't go in the same old tired directions. The movie is a first for the director (Paul Sarossy) and writer (Paul Waddington). Sarossy is a Canadian cinematographer who has worked on some of Atom Egoyan's best known movies, and Waddington is usually an actor. But boy, is this an impressive debut! Andrew Howard is an unfamiliar face to me but he gives a superb performance as Jon, the hit man. Equally good is David Calder, the "Tattooed Man", Jon's enigmatic boss. The relationship between the two is left ambiguous, and that's one of the things which makes this movie a cut above your standard thriller. In fact even calling it a thriller at all may be doing it a bit of a disservice. I highly recommend 'Mr In-Between' for those who enjoy dramas with a bit of depth and subtlety, and I really hope that Paul Sarossy gets the opportunity to direct again as he shows great promise. This movie is destined to become a cult favourite.

I first saw this film several years ago but some of its imagery is indelibly scorched into my brain. What the film appears to lack in budget it more than makes up for with directorial vision. Also incredible writing. Deeply unsettlng, the key performances are absolutely note perfect. I can't imagine a better actor in the lead... horribly matter-of-fact, cold as ice, colder. Strange paranormal and occult undertones. The sort of thing to have nightmares about, particularly those who rarely get shaken by what they see on screen. Mesmerising, genius even. Something to watch if you feel jaded or bored by the same old same old, this will affect you to your core...

Jon (Andrew Howard) is a cold blood and very efficient assassin and torturer with no friends, who works to his mentor and protector, the sadistic Tattooed Man (David Calder). The murders of Jon are very clean and sophisticated, as if they were a work of art. When Jon meets his former school friend Andy (Andrew Thiernan) and his wife Cathy (Geraldine O'Rawe), his world becomes divided by life (with Andy and Cathy) and death (with Tattooed Man), and Jon becomes a conflicted man, living between good and evil in the in-between of these realities, and trying to redeem his soul.

"Mr. In-Between" is probably the greatest surprise of the year for me, a gem to be discovered by movie-lovers. This low-budget movie, if found by the viewers, certainly will become a cult-movie. The frightening and awesome story showing the personification of evil is spectacular, without any concessions to any characters. The battle between the good and the evil is amazing, and there are two specific scenes that impressed me a lot: the first one when Jon "saves" Cathy and her daughter from the Tattooed Man; and when the Father vomits in the church after hearing the confession of Jon, when he asked: "-Do you still love me, Father?". The direction is amazing, using magnificently the camera. Andrew Howard is one of the most scariest killers I have ever seen in films, and his cruelty is comparable to John Doe (Kevin Space) in "Seven". David Calder is perfect as the personification of the Devil, in a cruel and sadistic character. Sometimes, some friends of mine question me why I spend time watching B or C-movies, instead of only classics and famous movies. Movies like "Mr. In-Between" show that my procedure is correct, otherwise I would never find unknown jewels like this one. I am very impressed with this movie, scarier than most of the Hollywood horror movies, which I recommend to a very specific audience. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Sr. Morte" ("Mr. Death")

Note: On 03 April 2022, I saw this film again.

My Advice: Ignore the 6/10 rating. Chances are you hadn't heard of this movie save by random chance, and perhaps you read the synopsis and your interest was piqued. If so watch this movie; it delivers in many ways, and if you are a fan of the genre (dark, ambient, crime, drama, with some philosophy thrown in), then you are in for a treat. I imagine the lower-than-deserved rating was due to people merely not liking the the genre or the ending.

Now I complain about the 6/10 and only give a 7/10. I understand that most people's ratings are different than mine. This film is good but not perfect...one I will recommend to friends and the fans of the genre(s), but with an addendum: It is a fairly slow movie, with not much major event happening. The movie is paced differently in that most popular movies follow a intro/rising action/climax/resolution pattern, this movie does not (really). Truly you won't really know what the point of the movie is until closer to the end, which for some will be a turnoff. I like that fact though especially because the writer/director does a great job of keeping you distracted with some good relationships, character development, and frankly good acting.

Give it a shot if you're getting tired of traditional Hollywood hogwash.