Christopher Eccleston Movies
A remarkable actor who brings a vibrant intensity to his performances, Christopher Eccleston is widely held to be one of the most talented British actors of the 1990s. Primarily known for his portrayals of working-class men, Eccleston, who possesses a lanky, stone-faced physical appeal, has won international attention for his work in such films as Jude and Elizabeth.A product of the Northwestern English town of Salford, where he was born on February 16, 1964, Eccleston enjoyed a happy working-class upbringing. A poor student with a love of television, he initially wanted to be a professional soccer player. At the age of 19, however, he realized that acting was his calling, and enrolled in London's Central School of Speech and Drama. As an actor, his early influences had been Ken Loach's Kes and Albert Finney's performance in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, but he soon found himself interpreting the classics, performing the works of Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Molière. At the age of 25, he made his professional stage debut in the Bristol Old Vic's production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Relatively unemployed as an actor for some years after his graduation, Eccleston took a variety of odd jobs at a supermarket, on building sites, and as an artist's model. His luck began to change in 1991, when he was chosen to play the protagonist of Let Him Have It. He won acclaim for his haunting portrayal of Derek Bentley, whose real-life murder of a policeman and subsequent hanging for the crime was the subject of dispute in the British legal system, as Bentley had the mental age of a nine-year-old. Eccleston's handling of the role paved the way for more work, and he was soon starring opposite Robbie Coltrane in Cracker, a popular British television series. He stayed with the show from 1993 until 1994, when he was cast in Shallow Grave, the stylish thriller from Danny Boyle, John Hodge, and Andrew MacDonald, the team who would later make Trainspotting. The film, which starred Eccleston, Ewan McGregor, and Kerry Fox as three flatmates with a corpse on their hands, proved a success, and Eccleston won praise for his portrayal of an unhinged accountant.
More television work followed in the form of Hillsborough (1996), and that same year, Eccleston won the title role in Michael Winterbottom's Jude. Co-starring with Kate Winslet, he garnered widespread praise for his interpretation of Thomas Hardy's tragic hero, and he began to attract the attention of American audiences. This attention was heightened two years later when he was cast as the dastardly Duke of Norfolk in Elizabeth; both his chilling performance and the film itself received wide acclaim. The same year, Eccleston starred alongside Renée Zellweger as an Orthodox Jew in A Price Above Rubies. The film was a relative disappointment, but it did allow the actor to break away from the character types that he usually played. In 1999, Eccleston could be seen in David Cronenberg's eXistenZ and in Heart, a black comedy in which he starred as a man so consumed with jealousy over his wife -- whom he believes to be having an affair -- that he gives himself a heart attack. The same year, he collaborated again with director Winterbottom on With or Without You, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Animal rights activists free a group of infected chimpanzees to horrifying results in this speculative sci-fi horror effort from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle. Waking from a coma in a deserted London hospital 28 days later, bicycle courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) takes to the deserted city streets in a state of mystified confusion. Joining forces with another group of survivors following a terrifying encounter in a seemingly abandoned church, Jim soon learns the truth behind the deserted streets and the menacing creatures that lurk in the shadows. It's soon revealed that the chimpanzees had been harboring a deadly virus that sends its victims into a furious, murderous rage, and in the days following the initial exposure, the entire population was nearly wiped out due to the resulting homicidal rampage. Is there still a glimmer of hope for humanity -- or has the deadly "rage" virus found its way to foreign shores and infected the entire planet? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, (more)
Boaz Yakin (a Sundance winner for Fresh) wrote and directed this drama, set in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community, about a young woman who harbors doubts about continuing to follow the path of her religion. Sonia (Renee Zellweger) gives birth to her first child. She wants to name the boy after her dead brother, but after an argument over the name, she resentfully defers to her husband, scholarly zaddik (holy man) Mendel (Glenn Fitzgerald). Both are apprehensive over the child's circumcision. Hasidic traditions dictate their life, including aspects of making love which leave Sonia sexually frustrated. This leads her into an affair with Mendel's older brother, the materialistic Sender (Christopher Eccleston), who offers her an opportunity to manage his neighborhood jewelry store. Against the wishes of Mendel, she accepts, displaying her flair for the jewelry business and establishing herself as a very good businesswoman. However, after she befriends sensitive Hispanic artist Ramon (Allen Payne), a sculptor and jewelry designer, she upsets everyone, especially Sender, who bars her from the store. Forbidden to see her child, Sonia begins a confused, downward spiral. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renée Zellweger, Christopher Eccleston, (more)
- 2009
- PG
- Add Amelia to Queue
Hilary Swank and Richard Gere star in director Mira Nair's biopic tracing the life of famed aviator Amelia Earhart -- who made history in 1932 by becoming the first woman ever to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Five years later, as Earhart attempted to fly around the world, the pilot and her plane simply vanished after crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Christopher Eccleston and Ewan McGregor co-star in the Avalon Pictures production. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, (more)
- 1993
In the fourteenth century, few options were open to women, and anyone showing the slightest degree of independence was likely to be denounced as a witch and summarily burned. In this story, young Christine (Natalie Morse) has a strong devotion to the Virgin Mary, and has asked to be walled up in the church as an anchorite for the rest of her life. This suits her ambitious parish priest (Christopher Eccleston) perfectly, and she is forthwith walled up. Her mother (Toyah Wilcox), an herbalist, midwife and wise-woman, is not of the same mind, but she is not only ignored, but soon runs afoul of the local authorities. Meanwhile, Christine is adapting to her new life in strange ways, and finds ways to transcend her imprisonment through making good use of the completely unusual privacy it affords. In one erotic scene, she even manages to find a physical expression for her mystical marriage. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Natalie Morse, Gene Bervoets, (more)
- 1993
Of all the characters in TV's "unlikely detective" genre, the leading character of the British cop series Cracker may well have been the unlikeliest. Robbie Coltrane starred as Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a brilliant psychologist -- not to mention a chronic gambler, alcoholic, chain smoker, overeater, and serial philanderer. Despite these shortcomings (and others too numerous to mention), Fitz was much revered by the local constabulary for his talent as a "cracker," using his professional skills to solve crimes so complex that they invariably left the official police totally baffled. Others in the cast included Barbara Flynn as Fitz's long-suffering wife, Judith, Geraldine Somerville as Fitz's police contact and sometimes lover Det. Sgt. Jane Penhaligon, and his other colleagues DCI Charlie Wise (Ricky Tomlinson) and Det. Sgt. Jimmy Beck (Lorcan Cranitch). When Beck was murdered at the outset of season two, he was replaced by DCI David Bilborough (Christopher Eccleston). Debuting September 27, 1993, on ITV1, Cracker originally aired in a weekly, one-hour format, with its storylines taking up two to three consecutive episodes. These were re-edited as "TV movies" when Cracker was subsequently rebroadcast in the United States. The series ended after three seasons and a one-off special, "White Ghost," which first aired on October 28, 1996. An American TV version of Cracker, starring Robert Pastorelli in the old Robbie Coltrane role (rechristened Gerry Fitzgerald) was briefly telecast by ABC in 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robbie Coltrane, Lorcan Cranitch, (more)
The two-part opening episode "The Woman in the Attic" couldn't have been more typical for the hard-bitten British cop series Cracker. Severely hung over after losing all his money on the horses, making an ass of himself at a dinner party, and compelling his wife to walk out on him, bleary-eyed psychologist Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald (Robbie Coltrane) awakens to find that things can get even worse: one of his students has been murdered, and the police are nowhere near solving the case. Offering his services as a "cracker" to use his professional skills in tracking down the culprit, Fitz thereby launches the off-and-on police career that will sustain him through three seasons on Britain's ITV1 network. Subsequent episodes during Cracker's inaugural season include another two-parter, "One Day a Lemming Will Fly," featuring Tess Thomson as Fitz's troubled daughter, Katie; and the three-part "To Say I Love You," in which Fitz tries to clean up his act to impress his attractive police contact Sgt. Jane Penhaligon (Geraldine Somerville) -- and along the way, he chases down a British version of Bonnie and Clyde. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robbie Coltrane, Lorcan Cranitch, (more)
Death and the Compass is a loose adaptation of a Jorge Luis Borges short story from eccentric British writer-director Alex Cox (Repo Man). Treviranus (Miguel Sandoval), disheveled and haunted by the past, narrates the story of the last great case of a famous detective, Lonnrot (Peter Boyle). In a vaguely futuristic unnamed metropolis (most of the film was shot in Mexico City), Lonnrot investigates the case of a murdered rabbi, who was a Kabala scholar. Treviranus, Lonnrot's commander, quite rationally believes the murder was a botched robbery, and the work of the insane masked local crime lord Red Scarlach. But Lonnrot finds the last words the rabbi wrote, "The first letter of the name has been spoken," and thinks there was a more complex, kabalistic motive to the crime. Lonnrot asks a journalist, Zunz (Christopher Eccleston), to help him unravel the mystery. Soon, another murder and a disappearance lend credence to Lonnrot's mystical theory, and the clever detective believes he can predict and prevent the next crime. As the disgraced Treviranus tells the story, his jealousy and resentment of Lonnrot's powers of deduction and his popularity with the public become evident. After making El Patrullero (Highway Patrolman), Cox was commissioned by the BBC to do a short Borges adaptation for television. He later got additional funding (partly for directing The Winner, which he later disavowed after the producers made changes without his consent) to expand Death and the Compass into a feature. He added all the scenes of Treviranus' narration, and an elaborate scene in which he himself plays a blind detective cut down by Red Scarlach. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Boyle, Miguel Sandoval, (more)
Christopher Eccleston's Doctor is wise and funny, cheeky and brave. An alien and a loner, his detached logic gives him a vital edge when the world's in danger. But when it comes to human relationships, he can be found wanting. That's why he needs Rose. From the moment they meet, the Doctor and Rose understand and complement each other. As they travel together through time, encountering new adversaries, the Doctor shows her things beyond imagination.
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, (more)
This British-made historical drama depicts the rise of young Elizabeth Tudor to Queen of England, a reign of intrigue and betrayals. In 1554, Queen Mary I (Kathy Burke) tries to restore Catholicism as England's single faith. With no heir to the crown, she maneuvers to keep her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett) from succeeding her, but her efforts fail. With Mary dead, Elizabeth is proclaimed Queen of England in November 1558. Elizabeth relishes the return from exile of her childhood sweetheart, Lord Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes). Chief adviser Sir William Cecil (Richard Attenborough) urges the young Queen to forget personal matters and instead address the country's pressing problems. England is bankrupt, has no army, and is under serious threat from abroad. Elizabeth even has enemies within her own court, the most dangerous being the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston). Hoping for an heir, Cecil suggests marriage candidates -- King Philip II of Spain or the French Duc d'Anjou (Vincent Cassel) -- to secure the realm. Elizabeth agrees to meet their ambassadors, but her true feelings are revealed when she meets Dudley for a secret tryst. French "warrior queen" Mary of Guise (Fanny Ardent) amasses troops at the Scottish border. Elizabeth bows to the pro-War lobby led by Norfolk, despite protests from her Master of Spies, the enigmatic Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush), but the decision to fight leads to a humiliating defeat. As dark clouds of court conspiracies gather, and the possibility of assassination looms, Elizabeth strikes out at her enemies and puts her trust in Walsingham. Shown at 1998 film fests (Venice, Toronto), this is the first English-language film of Indian director Shekhar Kapur, who shot on locations at Northumberland, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire, and at Shepperton Studios. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, (more)
Director Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Van Helsing) adapts the beloved Hasbro G.I. Joe toy line with this Paramount Pictures production that pits the Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity against the evil forces of the organization known as Cobra. Dennis Quaid and Channing Tatum star as General Hawk and Duke Hauser, respectively, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marlon Wayans leading the rest of the cast, including Sienna Miller, Ray Park, Rachel Nichols, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Saïd Taghmaoui, and Asian film star Lee Byung-hun. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, (more)
In this action thriller, a master car thief has his skills pushed to the limit. Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage) can steal practically any car that crosses his path. While he has done well in his life of crime, he knows that there's a short future in theft, and he wants to get out of the business. But his retirement plans are interrupted when his younger brother Kip (Giovanni Ribisi) gets in trouble with a dangerous crime boss. To get his brother out of harm's way, Randall agrees to a profitable but risky scheme to steal 50 luxury cars in one night, with the help of several other car thieves, including Sara "Sway" Wayland (Angelina Jolie). A rival group of thieves is trying to pull the same stunt at the same time, and detectives Castlebeck (Delroy Lindo) and Drycoff (Timothy Olyphant) are trying to shut down both operations. Also starring Robert Duvall as Otto Halliwell, and Scott Caan as Tumbler, Gone in Sixty Seconds is a remake of the 1974 low-budget action hit of the same name, best remembered for a 40-minute chase scene in which 90 cars were destroyed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, (more)
- 1999
A mother's love turns deadly in the wake of an organ transplant in the thriller Heart. Gary Ellis (Christopher Eccleston) is a businessman, while his wife Tess (Kate Hardie) works in television. Gary and Tess don't get along very well, largely because he's convinced she's having an affair. One day, Gary has a major heart attack, and is soon confined to a wheelchair while doctors wait for a suitable donor for a heart transplant. Tess takes this opportunity to finally start having that affair Gary's been talking about, with a writer named Alex (Rhys Ifans). One day, Gary is rushed to the hospital after Sean (Matthew Rhys), a teenage aspiring boxer, is brought to the emergency room near death. Sean dies, and his heart is transplanted to Gary. After recovery, Gary is a new man, and Tess is so delighted she gives Alex his walking papers. But then Sean's mother Maria (Saskia Reeves) enters the picture; while at first Gary wanted to know what sort of person's heart was beating in his chest, now Maria is trying to work her way into the Ellis's lives, certain her son's hopes and dreams now live on in Gary's chest. Shot in 1997, Heart didn't receive a release in Europe until 1999, though it did play several film festivals the previous year. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Saskia Reeves, (more)
The NBC series' first season begins with the origin stories of several lonely, disconnected people who learn they're destined to become superheroes. At the center of the unfolding tale is Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia), a nurse haunted by cryptic dreams who believes he's meant to do great things with his life. Peter tries to convince his politico brother Nathan (Adrian Pasdar), who is running for the U.S. Senate, that something strange is happening to both of them, but Nathan is adamant about maintaining a low profile and keeping his personal life out of the press. Meanwhile, a Texas cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere) discovers she's completely indestructible, but she's in for an even bigger shock when she realizes her family is hiding a dark secret. Over in Los Angeles, a beat cop (Greg Grunberg) develops the ability to read minds, and an Internet stripper (Ali Larter) begins to manifest a murderous alternate personality. And in Tokyo, bored cubicle drone Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) is desperate for the kind of adventures found in comic books and Star Trek. (In a sly in-joke, Hiro's father shows up later in the season and is portrayed by Star Trek alum George Takei.) Hiro's wish is miraculously granted when he develops the ability to travel through time and space, teleporting himself instantly from a Tokyo subway to Times Square. But Hiro's elation quickly turns to fear when he witnesses a nuclear explosion lay waste to New York City. Upon teleporting home, he realizes he's just seen a glimpse of a catastrophe that will happen in a few weeks unless he can stop it. Heroes from across the globe gradually meet up and form alliances as they try to prevent the nuclear attack and fight back against a shadowy, superpowered serial killer known as Sylar (Zachary Quinto), who is able to murder the would-be superheroes and steal their abilities in the process. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Masi Oka, Milo Ventimiglia, (more)
Ole Bornedal directs the drama I Am Dina, based on the novel by Herbjørg Wassmo. In Northern Norway during the 1860s, a little girl named Dina accidentally causes her mother's death. Overcome with grief, her father (Bjørn Floberg) refuses to raise her, leaving her in the care of the household servants. Dina grows up wild and unmanageable, with her only friend being the stable boy, Tomas (Hans Matheson). She summons her mother's ghost and develops a strange fascination with death as well as a passion for living. Family friend Jacob (Gérard Depardieu) encourages Dina's father to hire Lorch (Søren Sætter-Lassen), a tutor who introduces her to the cello. When Dina is old enough (played by Maria Bonnevie), she marries Jacob and moves to Reinsnes, a port he runs with his mother, Karen (Wenche Foss), and his stepsons Niels (Mads Mikkelsen) and Anders (Jørgen Langhelle). Niels doesn't like Dina's wild ways, or the fact that she has taken over accounting duties at Reinsnes. Dina's eccentric tendencies become even stronger, eventually leading Jacob into an accident of his own and bringing Tomas back into her life. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Bonnevie, Gérard Depardieu, (more)
- 1996
- R
In 19th century Britain, a unconventional young man struggles against the limitations of a rigid, restrictive society. Based on Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, this somber period drama stars a suitably intense Christopher Eccleston as Jude, a young man with dreams of receiving a scholarly university education. Circumstances conspire against him, however, forcing him into a job as a stonemason and an unsatisfactory marriage. He remains true to his dream, however, and years later, after his wife's sudden departure, heads for the city. There he encounters his beautiful cousin, Sue (Kate Winslet), who shares his intelligence and disdain for convention, and the two develop a romantic relationship. These unlikely lovers must struggle to keep their relationship secret from a disapproving world, however, or else face the tragic consequences of public scandal. Though purists may object to several liberties taken with the text, director Michael Winterbottom fashions a relatively efficient tale of doomed romance from Hardy's tragedy. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Kate Winslet, (more)
The Derek Bentley Case has been an uneasy blight on the British legal system since the early 1950s. Two young, frightened boys were caught by police trying to break into to a building. One of the boys had a gun. When the policeman reached out to the youth to turn over the gun, his friend shouted "Let him have it," and the policeman was killed by a gun blast. Whether the boy understood "Let him have it" to mean he should turn over the gun or to kill the police officer has been debated ever since. But the result was the 19-year-old boy was executed for the crime -- only to be posthumously exonerated in 1953. In this dark and biting film by Peter Medak, the life of Derek Bentley (Chris Eccleston) that led up to the crime is recreated in pitiful detail, as well as the ensuing trial and execution. The story begins in 1952, when the likable Bentley is released from reform school. Bentley is an impressionable young man who returns home to his loving family -- his parents (Tom Courtenay and Eileen Atkins) and sister (Clare Holman) -- but becomes involved with a group of friends, led by the intimidating Chris (Paul Reynolds), who live in the poverty of post-World War II Britain and escape their bleak world by emulating the American gangster films they see at the local cinema. They play-act at being gansters, but with real guns ... and tragic results. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Paul Reynolds, (more)
- 2000
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As produced by the BBC, the release Lewis & Clark and Other Great Adventures presents three back to back docudramas that recreate the excitement and suspense of history's most courageous explorers, via sweeping on-camera reenactments. The first segment follows Meriweather Lewis and William Clark, circa 1804, as they hearken out of Missouri and comb the wilderness for a trade route to the Pacific; the second cuts back to the 18th century to observe German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt as he embarks from Europe to the then-uncharted continent of South America and attempts to systematically document the plant and animal life of that region; and the third drama observes Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton as he and his crew spend two years struggling to survive at all costs amid the polar regions. David Yelland, Kal Weber and Christopher Eccleston co-star . ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2008
An affluent surgeon from New Orleans finds his attempt to piece his life back together after Hurricane Katrina unexpectedly unraveling with the appearance of an old flame in this drama from director Michael Almereyda. Dr. Henry Jekyll (Christopher Eccleston) is a socialite and surgeon whose once-happy home was shaken to the core by his affair with the young and beautiful Hyde (Elisabeth Moss). Now, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Jekyll has returned to town to work for an anarchist relief organization dedicated to rebuilding the city. As the tireless aid workers put all of their energy into making New Orleans livable again, Dr. Jekyll makes a concerted effort to get his own life back together by remarrying his ex-wife. But resisting temptation is easier said than done, and when Hyde walks back into his life Dr. Jekyll finds his willpower put to the ultimate test. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Elisabeth Moss, (more)
This British TV production of Othello is more than a mere updating of the classic William Shakespeare tragedy; with freshly rechristened characters and brand-new dialogue, the film qualifies as a "rethinking" of the 17th century Shakespearean play, albeit still retaining the original's power and potency. The story is set in the London of the near future, a crime-ridden metropolis virtually torn apart by racial hostilities. By order of the Prime Minister, black police officer John Othello (Eamonn Walker) is promoted to Commissioner, a post dearly coveted by Othello's friend, mentor and fellow officer Ben Jago (Christopher Eccleston). Seething with jealousy, Jago contrives to discredit Othello in the eyes of the public, and to destroy John's interracial marriage to the lily-white Dessie (Keeley Hawes). Among those used as unwitting dupes to gain Jago's ends are Othello's trusted lieutenant, Michael Cass (Richard Coyle), scrupulously honest police constable Alan Roderick (Del Synnott), and Jago's own wife, Lulu (Rachael Stirling). Typical of the film's modernizations is the handling of the evidence "proving" Dessie's infidelity. In place of the incriminating handkerchief in the Shakespearean original, a robe is offered which has been tampered with by Jago so that the DNA lab will find evidence that Dessie has not only cuckolded Othello, but also is part of a greater plan to ruin his reputation. A co-production of London Weekend Television, Canada's CBC, and America's PBS, Othello was first shown in the U.S. as part of the last-named network's Masterpiece Theatre anthology on January 29, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eamonn Walker, Christopher Eccleston, (more)
A simple lie yields deadly consequences in writer/director Joe Ahearne's drama about two parents who lie about their religion to get their daughter into a high performing Catholic school. Ten year-old Lucy has just witnessed a deadly knife attack at school, and now her parents Stewart (Christopher Eccleston) and Alison (Susannah Harker) are desperate to ensure her safety. If they could only get Lucy into a respected Catholic school, Stewart and Alison could finally rest easy, but in order for that to happen they will have to lie about their religion. At first it seemed like a simple deception, but soon this little white lie will spiral into a deadly cycle of fraud, blackmail, and murder. In order to prepare for an intimidating interview with the school's tough principal (Lesley Manville), Stuart and Alison enlist the aid of a priest (David Warner) who's willing to verify their story and give young Lucy a quick lesson in Catholicism. But this crucial bit of help has a high price, and by the time Stewart discovers the priest's dark secret it may already be too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Susannah Harker, (more)
Revenge, obsession, and the morally ambiguous aristocracy are targets of this adaptation by director Alex Cox of the 17th century dark comic play Revengers Tragedy, written by Shakespeare contemporary Thomas Middleton. The vindictive and mentally unstable Vindici (Christopher Eccleston) has returned to the grimy streets of a post-apocalyptic Liverpool in order to attempt to bring ruin to the ruling family led by the Duke (Derek Jacobi). The Duke was personally responsible for the death of Vindici's fiancée ten years previously when the woman would not yield to the Duke's sexual advances. An opportunity arises for Vindici's vengeance when the Duke's youngest son is accused of raping the wife (Sophie Dahl) of Lord Antonio (Anthony Booth) -- one of the Duke's courtiers. When the Duke's son is acquitted of the rape charges, Lord Antonio's wife dies a mysterious death, which leads to even more havoc in the court of the Duke. Seizing the opportunity, Vindici acts swiftly and violently but the morality of his cause is just as questionable as the aristocracy he is ousting. Revengers Tragedy was a competing film at the 2002 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Eddie Izzard, (more)
- 2003
Made for British TV, the allegorical film The Second Coming asks the question "What would happen if Jesus Christ returned to Earth in the form of a modern-day video store clerk from Manchester?" Having gone missing for 40 days, young Steve Baxter (Christopher Eccleston) suddenly appears at a soccer stadium to announce that he is the Son of God. Steve further warns that humankind is doomed unless a third testament is added to the Bible -- within the next five days. The media has a field day with this story, while religious leaders alternately pooh-pooh Steve's divinity or sit and wonder and worry. Ultimately, the fate of the world rests not only in the hands of Steve, but also in those of the girl who may betray him -- a young woman with the ominous name of Judith (Lesley Sharp). Causing quite a stir when it first aired in the U.K., The Second Coming had lost none of its potency -- or dark humor -- when it was seen in the U.S. courtesy of the BBC America satellite service on September 20, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The feature film debut of Scottish director Danny Boyle was a dark, hip, Generation X comedy about a trio of Edinburgh roommates whose narcissistic greed fuels murder and betrayal. Boisterous journalist Alex (Ewan McGregor), flirtatious doctor Juliet (Kerry Fox), and meek accountant David (Christopher Eccleston) possess very different personalities, but the roommates are bonded in mutual, self-absorbed cynicism. Seeking a fourth boarder to share the rent for their stylish flat, they cruelly dismiss several candidates before settling on Hugo (Keith Allen), whose air of detachment meets the roommates' standard of coolness. Hugo's reserve masks criminal involvement, however, as the roommates discover when they find him dead in bed from a drug overdose, with a valise containing enormous amounts of cash. Their nascent greed overwhelms them, and the trio dismembers and buries Hugo, stealing his money. Only David, who understands finance, seems to realize that someone's eventually going to seek out such a large sum. As both drug dealers and police get closer to figuring out the friends' secret, shy, nerdy David becomes violently paranoid, while Juliet's allegiance switches back and forth between her roommates. Boyle teamed subsequently with producer Andrew Macdonald and screenwriter John Hodge on several high-profile films. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston, (more)
- 2001
British filmmaker Danny Boyle offers a darkly comic glimpse of life in Britain in this short feature (shot on digital video equipment) produced for the BBC. In Strumpet, Jenna Gee plays the title character, a young woman who plays guitar in a punk rock band. One day, Strumpet is sexually assaulted by a lunatic truck driver, but she's rescued at the last minute by Strayman (Christopher Eccleston), an eccentric street poet. Strayman takes the shaken Strumpet back to his apartment (where his verse is scrawled all over the walls), and the two get to know each other. Before long, a relationship has developed between them, and Strumpet begins adding guitar accompaniment to Strayman's ranting verse. Knockoff (Stephen Walters), one of Strayman's neighbors, overhears them improvising and thinks they may have commercial potential; he offers to become their manager, and sets out to score them a record deal, though polishing their rough edges into a saleable product turns out to be a challenge. While produced for British television, this and another short feature by Boyle, Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise, also made the rounds of the international film festival circuit in 2001. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Jenna Gee, (more)
