Grievous Bodily Harm

Director - Mark Joffe (Nightmaster, Shadow of the Cobra)

Starring - Colin Friels (Darkman, Dark City), John Waters (Weekend of Shadows, Future-Worm!), and Bruno Lawrence (Death Warmed Up, Battletruck)

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Crime/Thriller

Tagline - "Where does passion end and obsession begin?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I had no fucking idea who Cliff Twemlow was before I received this box set from Severin.  However, after watching the documentary Mancunian Man, I was committed one hundred percent to anything he was apart of.  I wasn't expecting films that defined genres but I was looking forward to the campy films that I knew he was behind.  With that being said, I was not prepared for any genre flicks in the set and was surprised when I saw that the third film was a crime thriller from 1988.  The film, Grievous Bodily Harm, looked fun and I couldn't wait to check it out.  Like always, I want to thank Severin Films for sending this one my way.  

     The film follows three individuals with interconnecting stories.  The first is a radical author and journalist who is trying to find his next big hit who teams up with a cop on the lookout for a killer.  Also in the mix is a teacher looking for his wife who many believe is dead.  What connects them all is the search for $40,000 that is missing. 

     Trying to explain the story for this film may have induced a seizure or a stroke.  However, I actually enjoyed the film even though it was a bit rough to follow at times.  It has a great cast and is just interesting enough to hold your attention from beginning to end.  The acting in this one is very well done.  While the dialogue is very heavy and, at a lot of times, overdramatic, the cast does a fantastic job at delivering it.  The interactions and conversations feel genuine and so does the emotions for the most part.  As I stated earlier, there is a few scenes that feel overdramatic but most of the film is great.  The story for this one is a all over the place at times which is a bit difficult to follow at times.  I loved how the characters are connected but that aspect of the story could have been handled a little better.  The way the film was edited together made it difficult to follow at times.  While I do enjoy the movie as it is, I think it would be an unforgettable classic if the story was told in a traditional linear perspective with more focus on the murders.  Finally, the film isn't a bloody one regardless as to what the title may suggest.  The film is a crime thriller in the truest sense of the sub-genre with no room for blood and gore.  The film's focus is on the story and the character rather than the red stuff.  Overall, Grievous Bodily Harm is not as violent as you would think but it is a solid late 80s crime thriller.  The story is a bit confusing but the acting more than makes up for it.  This film is the first in the set, besides the documentary, that deserves a watch.  Check it out.