As far as debuts go, they don't get much better than this.

Boyle's film has a classic premise. Three friends, a dead body, a pile of cash. What do you do? As simple as it is, the execution is anything but. Boyle here shows his unique talent of creating something out of virtually nothing with fluent and sometimes visceral camerawork. He already displays expert pacing as this film never meanders and manages to keep you intrigued, revealing twist after twist, not so much focussing on the rather predictable conceit, but instead highlighting the mundaneness of the three protagonists and their interpersonal relationship.

And that is what makes this film so good. We are watching normal people, faced with a classic…

This superb debut from Boyle shows his immediate comfort in the director's chair, with his trademark use of pop music and frenetic camerawork appearing right from the start of this wonderful crime thriller. John Hodge's script was purportedly inspired by the early work of the Coen brothers, and this story of supposedly innocent people being drawn into a more sinister world certainly feels reminiscent of much of the duo's work, but the Edinburgh setting gives this film a very different atmosphere.

Unfortunately I had the ending to 'Shallow Grave' partially spoiled for me by the director himself - in a fascinating interview between him and Mark Kermode - but this really didn't hinder my enjoyment of the film at all.…

I recently rewatched Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and one thing I really noticed was that I really like his early films despite being nowhere near as refined as his later works. Danny Boyle seems to apply to this aswell in that I really like how raw and rough around the edges Shallow Grave (and Trainspotting) is. The opening scene sums up exactly what I mean and why I'm such a huge fan of his work. It's very simple and rough but conveys that exuberance and exciting energy that draws me to him as a director. The camera mounted to the car driving around on the streets is nothing game-changing or defining in the medium of film but it is certainly something…

Film #11 in Driver’s December Death Penalty AKA The December Project , which is part of Cinebro's The December Challenge. 1 month, 100 movies.

89 minutes

"I've never seen a dead body before. I saw my grandmother of course, but I don't think that counts. I mean, she was alive at the time." - David

Well, this is a strange one. With what could be a potentially run-of-the-mill thriller, a debuting Danny Boyle works wonders with a potentially hideously simple plot. But it's so much more.

Shallow Grave is certainly one of the most disturbing comedies I've ever seen. It's not exactly what you would call consistently funny (it really doesn't try to be), but there are very few films…

Danny Boyle was roughly thirty-eight years old when he made this, so not too far removed from the twenty-something, flat-sharing lifestyle depicted here. His familiarity with the material is evident and the situation feels genuine as a result: disparate personalities of people just similar enough to tolerate co-habitation, but with enough differences to make things fun. The actors help, especially Ewan McGregor in his first starring role as a free-spirited journalist who embodies characteristics of both awful and great roommates (great sense of humor buuut he plays the drums...). Opening scenes of them interviewing potential flatmates tell us everything we need to know about the gang quickly and vibrantly: a Boyle hallmark. Another trait of the director: taking the principles…