Cuck

The film runs out of steam and becomes heavy-handed and ugly in parallel with Ronnie's gruesome descent.

Lambert's film makes its point by delving deeper into toxicity and committing to the most unattractive parts of itself.

Throughout, the narrative keeps arcing inevitably toward a predictable and tedious eruption of violence. But the way the movie ends isn't as powerful as where it begins: with one lost boy, adopted by wolves.

A smarter group of filmmakers might have wrestled this deliberately repellent material into a decent black comedy. Lambert and company can only manage an ugly and self-congratulatory wallow.

...this overlong movie would have been more effective if it had trusted its strong performances and atmosphere to provide sufficient tension, rather than piling on too many contrived reasons...

While clearly limited in budget and a little too blunt in its hectoring message, Cuck also has an agreeably cultish intensity and newsworthy urgency.

There are fascinating textures along the way, but the finale is relentlessly shocking, partly because it's so inevitable. It's also frighteningly recognisable, and surprisingly moving.

I'm afraid I spent most of Cuck rolling my eyes.

Though it hints at moments of wit, Cuck never feels serious enough to be a convincing character study and not garish enough to head into genre territory. Ultimately, this sordid tale feels both real and inconsequential.

Content to skim the surface, subtlety is forgotten in this portrait of an extremist loner...