Straightheads (Closure) (2007)

39% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
34% of users liked it
(4,459 ratings)

Director Dan Reed's revenge thriller Straightheads constitutes a long, penetrating meditation on the psychological fallout experienced by two attack victims. This cathartically ultraviolent picture opens on a deceptively placid note - with romance blossoming between Alice (Gillian Anderson) and a… More Director Dan Reed's revenge thriller Straightheads constitutes a long, penetrating meditation on the psychological fallout experienced by two attack victims. This cathartically ultraviolent picture opens on a deceptively placid note - with romance blossoming between Alice (Gillian Anderson) and a much younger electrician, Adam (Danny Dyer). When the pair's relaxing sojourn at a country estate leads to a skirmish with a trio of backwoods toughs, Danny is beaten unconscious and scarred, and Alice brutally raped. In an attempt to cope with the trauma, the two put their heads together, pack guns, and venture out to the scene of the attack - where they plan to find the responsible parties and turn the tables by exacting an ugly toll of sexual violence on their psychotic victimizers. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Dan Reed
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Apr 27, 2007 Wide
On DVD: Sep 18, 2007

Critic Reviews

Derek Elley, Variety
It's clear from the start this isn't a revenge drama that's going to wimp out at the end.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a low-key drama disguised as a revenge thriller...
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
About how some of us would be willing to sell our souls to protect our loved ones if we had to...
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
Thankfully, there are no extras on the disc. This will allow you to quickly head off to take a cleansing shower, if you have the misfortune of subjecting yourself to it.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
The film looks professional and has a relatively big-name star in Gillian Anderson, but the screenplay - written by director Dan Reed - doesn't make a single bit of sense.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Feels like an experiment in suspense and violence that doesn't actually tell us anything
Philip French, Observer [UK]
A repellent, ill-thought-through feature.
Anthony Quinn, Independent
Masculinity in Crisis, part 364.
Johnny Vaughan, Sun Online
Payback involving a shotgun, a kitchen table and a heap of pain.
, Daily Mirror [UK]
Even if Straightheads looks as if it was made for about 4, it(TM)s been a long time since someone was brave enough to make a such a movie.
Jamie Russell, Total Film
Make no mistake: this lo-fi rape-revenge Brit flick wants to shock you.
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
Country rapists have their way with Gillian Anderson and poke Danny Dyer's eye out. The duo want payback.
Steve Rose, Guardian [UK]
This nasty and nonsensical rape-revenge thriller is a feature-length exercise in wrongness.
James Christopher, Times [UK]
Straightheads has the pornographic ingredients of a first-rate cult thriller.
Neil Smith, Film4
Where's Mulder when you need him.
Anna Smith, Empire Magazine
Anderson bares (almost) all in this flawed but fitfully fascinating thriller with a comical, if less compelling, turn from Danny Dyer.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
The violence may be too strong for some but this is worth seeing for a terrific performance by Gillian Anderson.
Stella Papamichael, BBC
Exploitative and depressing.
, Time Out
The film is a shallow study of the â~intoxicating allure of violence', with a few gratuitous tit shots thrown in for good measure.

Read all 19 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Lady D

This film starts well and Danny Dyer does tend to play Danny Dyer in most of his films, it's the pairing with Gillian Anderson that makes this one a little different. Good plot to the story, violent and brutal - following the craze of vigilante movies over the last few years.… More
This film starts well and Danny Dyer does tend to play Danny Dyer in most of his films, it's the pairing with Gillian Anderson that makes this one a little different. Good plot to the story, violent and brutal - following the craze of vigilante movies over the last few years. The revenge part, though slightly disappoints, is predictable and a bit of an anti-climax, I would have liked to have seen a few twists in this, but it is a watchable film.
Mason W

Gillian Anderson & Danny Dyer star in Closure (aka Straightheads). A single successful meets a security alarm professional and they both are attracted to one another. After leaving a party out of town the night unravels to be horrible and then the view...an eye for an eye becomes… More
Gillian Anderson & Danny Dyer star in Closure (aka Straightheads). A single successful meets a security alarm professional and they both are attracted to one another. After leaving a party out of town the night unravels to be horrible and then the view...an eye for an eye becomes what is being focused on.
Jason S

While there is some interesting character changes in the flick the rest of the movie is crappy. A little too brutal. Mostly just boring. Not recommended.
Luke B

Goes for a more literal depiction of revenge as opposed to something deep or meaningful. Anderson and Dyer are both excellent but their characters are shoddy at best. There's a role reversal but Anderson's comes from out of nowhere as she is affected by somebody trying to… More
Goes for a more literal depiction of revenge as opposed to something deep or meaningful. Anderson and Dyer are both excellent but their characters are shoddy at best. There's a role reversal but Anderson's comes from out of nowhere as she is affected by somebody trying to explain why they raped her. Still she gets her revenge and freaks out when Dyer goes for his. Dyer's character at least has some more complex emotions going on but the film wreaks of desperation as it tries to be some social commentary. The ending may be realistically fitting but it is the last shot which is plain hilarious. "Ooooh it's so deap" no it's just a filmmaker without any real vision of his own.At 80 minutes it is worth a watch, just don't expect to be satisfied. Watch Straw Dogs or Dead Mans Shoes instead.
Mark E

Gillian Anderson plays a sexy yuppie,Danny Dyer plays a cockney...for a change....good film tho.
Roy G

Payback involving a shotgun, a kitchen table and a heap of pain. Make no mistake: this lo-fi rape-revenge Brit flick wants to shock you.
Daniel P

Grim but affecting film that was hated by most critics on release but is now gathering a deserved cult following. A revenge thriller that takes the time to explore the consequences of an assault on a couple returning home from a party, and the ramifications that their vengeance on the… More
Grim but affecting film that was hated by most critics on release but is now gathering a deserved cult following. A revenge thriller that takes the time to explore the consequences of an assault on a couple returning home from a party, and the ramifications that their vengeance on the perpetrators might have on them. It's a short film that doesn't make light of the issues raised and certainly does not pull any punches, and features an excellent performance from Gillian Anderson and a not-too-shabby turn from Danny Dyer (yes, really!).
David S

A difficult watch. The film is very much in your face and there is a large amount of brutal violence. I didn't enjoy the film but I think I admire it for its style and great performance from Gillian Anderson and Anthony Calf. Danny Dyer is the same as he is in Outlaw the other… More
A difficult watch. The film is very much in your face and there is a large amount of brutal violence. I didn't enjoy the film but I think I admire it for its style and great performance from Gillian Anderson and Anthony Calf. Danny Dyer is the same as he is in Outlaw the other films I've seen him in but he does well with the emotional journey he has to take and it's interesting how your sympathies for his character changes towards the end of the film. There was a element of European cinema with this film, especially with its depiction of violence, which reminded me of Funny Games. I can see why critics didn't like it but I admire Anderson especially for choosing this role.
Magnus X

"It's my fathers, he was a soldier. He didn't believe in turning the other cheek." An okay drama thriller where Gillian Anderson was the best one in it. Alice (Gillian Anderson) and her boytoy Adam (Danny Dyer) gets assaulted and raped. Alice can't get over… More
"It's my fathers, he was a soldier. He didn't believe in turning the other cheek." An okay drama thriller where Gillian Anderson was the best one in it. Alice (Gillian Anderson) and her boytoy Adam (Danny Dyer) gets assaulted and raped. Alice can't get over it and decides to make the evildoers pay for what they did.
Barry L

Im not mormally a Dyer fan but this was a step up from his normal performance. Powerful and well acted.

Read all 10 featured audience ratings

Cast

Gillian Anderson
as Alice
Danny Dyer
as Adam
Anthony Calf
as Heffer

Ralph Brown
as Jamie
Steven Robertson
as Bill
Francesca Fowler
as Sophie

See full cast

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