Ho, ho, ho and a Merry Christmas! Lightbulb Film Distribution and Break Em Films will release Silent Night, a British gangster film, to UK theaters on December 11, 2020. Then, after a yuletide ride in Santa’s sleigh, it will land on digital rooftop platforms on December 14th, just in the St. Nick of time for Christmas gifting! Ultimately, it will arrive to DVD on December 28th.
A celluloid sugar plum dish written and directed by British filmmaker Will Thorne (Rosie 2013, One Man & His Shoes 2020), Silent Night is a snowglobe’s glimpse into the life of Mark (Bradley Taylor: Polar 2019, Surge 2020), who has been released from incarceration just in time for the holidays. Determined to make a fresh start in life, he plans to ‘step up to the plate’ as a father to his young daughter, Daisy (Oriana Rodrigues-Cova: The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher series). As fate would have it, he takes one step forward and two steps back as he tries to make this Christmas a special one for his daughter to cherish.
To create that festive Christmas atmosphere of peace on earth and joy to the world, a slideshow of decorative outdoor Christmas lights flits across the screen like the kaleidoscopic view of the famed Rockettes’ legs during a Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular. Adding further touches, Taylor imbues his character with a dash of humility as he makes a sincere effort to get his life back on track and scale the seemingly insurmountable hurdles of getting a job as an ex-con. However, the persuasive powers of his ex-cell mate Alan (Cary Crankson: Rock and Roll Fuck’n’Lovely 2013, Doctors series), and the easy money, lure Mark back down the dark path to a life of crime.
Armed with cold metal and his wits, Mark takes on jobs for vicious crime boss Caddy (Frank Harper: The Nephilim 2013, Malcolm and the Magpies series), who has no immediate plans for letting him go. This becomes the pivotal point in Mark’s life, and Taylor skillfully conveys the conflict of emotions that hold his tortured soul captive. Because the audience is privy to the soft side of Mark, particularly moments such as when he reads to his daughter, we are duly shocked by the cold-blooded quality of his criminal activity.
Throughout the film, Writer-Director Thorne does an excellent job at illuminating the cold and dark side of human nature with well-placed dark humor. The audience sees just how easy emotions can cloud one’s judgement, sealing our fate of another wrong decision. However, despite the screenplays’ depth, Thorne manages to keep the suspense running high, leaving audience members to hold their breath amid the ending’s unexpected twist and shocking revelations.
In this, Silent Night provides an enjoyable break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And if you enjoy keeping your nervous system on high alert, this is definitely a film for you; as it will definitely keep your heart racing with the shocking brutality that one man can inflict upon another. Though there are also moments that tug at the heartstrings as one witnesses the unconditional love between father and daughter, one that shines brightly between them like a candle in the window. Moving at the speed of the Polar Express, leaving one in constant expectation, Silent Night offers up a story where all is not calm and all is not bright. For this, Cryptic Rock gives this film 5 out of 5 glittering star ornaments.
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