sbjones-140-716317 I have to disagree with graham 525's review. The film was, and was supposed to look like a low budget movie. Personally, I think this approach was honest and gritty. If you want glamour, watch Hollywood! The script was down to earth - like the filming, it tried to give a sense of realism, as if you were watching someone's video diaries.The acting was good and the character Frank was totally convincing. Albeit he came across as strange for the most part of the film but strange was the correct approach. This guy, as it turned out, had a terrible past and had also spent his adult life in the forces, so had no doubt seen a lot of terrible things and been through a lot. It will come clear in the end.The ending is not daft at all. The daughter is kidnapped in an attempt to bring Joey to the final destination. I also believe Frank blames Joey for some of his later suffering and looks to expose Joey's young daughter to the horror that he has been through in the school.A good "night in" film, with good locations, with good "honest, non-Hollywood" acting.

kolinferguson A shambolic stand up comic Joey Fisk (a terrific Stephen McCole in a welcome lead role) meets an acquaintance from his school days Frank Archer (an understated Malcolm Shields) whose attentions have a sinister ulterior motive.It's hard enough to do a comedy or a really good thriller with genuine shocks but to combine them both without diminishing either is a real accomplishment from writer/director Justin Molotnikov.It's great to see a whole cast of Scottish faces that are new to the big screen.Here's hoping it gets a good distribution deal.

projectcyclops An intense dark comedy set in Edinburgh, Scotland, Crying with Laughter is the brainchild of writer/director Justin Molotnikov and stars Stephen McCole (The Acid House) as a cocaine snorting stand-up comedian on the verge of his first big break. The film opens with his character, Joey Frisk, practicing his routine on Portobello Beach, belting booze and shouting at the waves as if they were a rowdy comedy-club crowd. His act is a hit, with wry humour and jabs at a willing audience, but after he bumps into an old school friend while kicking back in a sauna, things start to get creepy.Frank, played to the hilt by Malcolm Shields, spots Joey and introduces himself with enthusiasm, reminding him of the time Joey drunkenly burnt down a schoolmaster's office for a laugh and wound-up being sent to a borstal (a cross between a school and a prison in the UK, thankfully the project was abandoned in 1982). That night Joey tells the anecdote to his audience, making fun of Frank's attempt at conversation, "One thing you just don't do in a sauna is make chat, it's a room full of half naked men for crying out loud!" is his take on things. Of course Frank is in the audience and Joey has to eat humble pie as he's introduced to Frank's girl. Joey gets drunk and wakes up in bed, post threesome, with two of his comedy club mates. The day goes from weird to worse and eventually he's kicked out of his flat and, after getting hammered again that night and is arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm for apparently attacking his landlord, something he can't recall, and seems unlikely to us, the audience. During the police line-up we see Frank again, pointing the finger at Joey from behind the one way glass. Joey doesn't have a clue.Homeless and desperate, Joey phones everyone he can think of to find a couch or room to crash in, but only Frank answers his cry and happily puts him up in the spare room of his expensive, inherited house. From here the game begins proper as Joey is manipulated and emotionally blackmailed into attending a mysterious 'Reunion' at their old schoolhouse. Stopping off at an old-folks-home run by a dope smoking goon, the ex-military and increasingly sociopathic Frank kidnaps the above mentioned schoolmaster, now suffering from senile dementia and putting up little resistance. Joey is horrified but Frank holds the cards with a threat to Jo's daughter and ex-wife. What's Frank planning? What's Joey and Frank's connection to the old schoolmaster? All the dirty laundry comes out in a powerful third act, which involves brutal, violent torture and a confession of the unthinkable.Set in and around Edinburgh, Molotnikov uses the location to his advantage, with its winding streets and alleys, lush architecture and seedy drug and booze culture. Thrillers like this are rare, promising and delivering on shocking exposition and an intense atmosphere; it's a great little gem. The technique of punctuating chapters of the film with Joey's final stand-up routine, which is a tell-all story of what's happened in the film, works well and the acting and direction are excellent all round. Shields stands-out, as he exudes a thinly veiled menace which he masks with earnest enthusiasm and innocence, and in the end we're almost on his side after revelations about the real villain of the piece.Keep an eye out for this one.

yorkhouse-1 I am a professional screenwriter, and when I see something brilliant, I find myself thinking, "Gee, I wish I'd written that script." I just saw this at the EIFF and had those exact thoughts. A brilliant script, directed well by the writer, and it looks like his first feature. A gripping tale that is entertaining, funny, and thought provoking. The R rating it will receive is both necessary and appropriate -- even though I'm not a fan of R movies, I am a fan of this one. Great message, to boot, but never heavy handed or on the nose. I hope this gets wide distribution -- it deserves it. Only distraction for me is that the Scots accents are quite strong and may not sit well with American audiences who don't have the ear for it. Perhaps it will need subtitles for that crowd -- hah! Great acting, BTW. A solid, different, great film. yh