Red Riding Trilogy: 1974

RRT:1974 at first seems to be like the british version of Zodiac. Zodiac masterfully covered the career and pursuit for the Zodiac Killer, and RRT:1974 at first seems like it's going to cover the Yorkshire Ripper. At first, it does, and well, but we then see that this is all an illusion. The film doesn't care about the Yorkshire Ripper case at all. Instead, it is about the corruption within the policeforce. A reporter (Andrew Garfield of The Social Network) finds a connection between some murders and immediately begins to pursue the case. He's obsessive, and in over his head. He falls in love with a dubious moral person (Rebecca Hall). The sex scenes between these two characters are the only bits of the film with warm colors or warm feeling. The rest is grungy, sad, and dark. Garfield's character is tortured mentally and physically--this is not an easy film to watch. It is overwhelmingly dark. However, the way that the film does what it does is so captivating that RRT:1974 becomes a damn good film. It reminded me of Taxi Driver in the way that it exhibits a man who wishes to do good, and ends up shattering the world around him.
Red Riding Trilogy: 1974: ✰✰✰1/2