Kleine Morde unter Freunden

Ist er noch hier? – Ja, er konnte das Auto nicht starten. DVDs mit Filmen von Danny Boyle habe ich schon eine gewisse Zeit bei mir zu Hause liegen, ich habe sie mir aber lange nicht angeschaut. Warum? Das geht mir nach dem tollen Film Kleine Morde unter Freunden nicht in den Kopf hinein. Wow, er war echt super. Die letzten fünfzehn Minuten war ich atemlos. Es ist ein unvergesslicher Film – er ist brillant gedreht und zeigt die verschiedensten menschlichen Emotionen. Er verschlingt Sie, zerkaut Sie, spuckt Sie wieder aus und lässt Sie dann gehen. (10.05.2011)

The film has a good idea in the exposed body of a junkie who left behind a lot of money. However, Boyle had to break the whole plot mightily over his knee twice to get to the end. Thankfully, he showed how much talent he has and very skillfully skated through both a regular psycho-thriller and a distinctive variation of Dostoevsky’s "Crime and Punishment." Admittedly, the film eventually ended up being shallowly cheap, but that made the point all the more entertaining. Genius or incompetence? I got caught up in it and had fun at the same time, so thanks, Danny! (11.05.2007)

Danny Boyle has a knack for getting the most out of the minimum. In this case, it was decent value for money, which he still had to scrape together. But it paid off. The beginning is relatively weak and in order for the film to reach its thrilling end, the viewer must endure a significant number of mistakes and dead ends, but as a whole it is enjoyable and the effort is visible, so there is no reason not to accept the situation. The most annoying thing is the blatant made-for-TV production design, the irritating accent of the main characters, and some incomprehensible scenes where several minutes of crucial connections and key information seem to be missing. Even so, this project is worth seeing, at the very least it was the launching pad of Ewan McGregor’s career. (14.04.2008)

Shallow Grave is exactly the type of thriller I'm not too fond of, and there are plenty of them made on this subject, but I have to say in Danny Boyle's rendition this one worked very well for me! A hell of a black-humoured, energetic and suspenseful ride from start to finish! I had a lot more fun than I did with A Simple Plan. I recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.75% (08.02.2014)

Years later, I returned to Shallow Grave with high expectations, wondering if two decades since its creation have influenced its qualities in any fatal way. It happens to me all too often that repeated viewings result in disappointment. Granted, Shallow Grave lost one star from me, but it is still decent entertainment, and as Boyle's debut film, it holds up without problems. Three friends who have yet to face any fateful test in life and a suitcase full of dirty money. What could go wrong? It is clear that Boyle still lacked valuable experience and was only beginning to flourish with his masterpiece, Trainspotting. Occasionally, there are rough edges and unused potential in this film, but it is equally evident that one of the most talented British filmmakers of his generation had made his mark back then. Similarly, it is clear that among the trio of actors that Boyle gave a chance, Ewan McGregor had the greatest potential. Even in 1994, it was evident that he was headed for international success. Overall impression: 60%. (25.08.2015)