Shallow Grave poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston, Ewan McGregor, Keith Allen, Ken Stott ... see more see more... , John Hodge , John Bett , Peter Mullan , Leonard O'Malley , Robert David MacDonald , Billy Riddoch , Gary Lewis

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 journali... read more read more...st 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, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

37,890 ratings

Critics

72% liked it

43 critics

R, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Release Date: June 1, 1995

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 22, 1998

Stats: 1,632 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Shallow Grave Shallow Grave Shallow Grave Shallow Grave Shallow Grave Shallow Grave Shallow Grave
Upload a Photo | View All Shallow Grave Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,632)

  • MrMarakai
    November 25, 2011
    MrMarakai
    Before moving on to work with such lucrative film stars as Leonardo DiCaprio or reaching the Oscar winning heights of "Slumdog Millionaire", director Danny Boyle cut his teeth on this low-budget Scottish crime thriller - which still remains as one of his finest films to this day.... read more
    Juliet (Kerry Fox), David (Christopher Eccleston) and Alex (Ewan McGregor) are a sardonic trio of roommates in Edinburgh, who take in enigmatic lodger Hugo (Keith Allen). When they find him dead, and a suitcase full of money in his possession, their worst instincts rise to the surface and involve them in a snowballing scheme to keep the cash.
    A tightly constructed Hitchcockian thriller, that with a shoestring budget only serves to force the hand of the talented cast and crew. The script by John Hodge is vice-like, the music by Simon Boswell is perfectly pitched and Danny Boyle's direction is flawless. The performances from the three leads are also entirely convincing; Kerry Fox delivers a reserved and competent turn but she is overshadowed by an excellent Christopher Eccleston who, with ease, goes from mild mannered to dangerously psychotic. As good as Eccleston is, I would love to have seen Robert Carlyle's take on it (a role which was offered to him originally). The real heart and fun of the film though, is an irritating and energetic Ewan McGregor in his breakout role. With these committed and highly believable performances we are allowed to invest in the characters and the predicament they find themselves in. Identifying with the trio is the films hook and it works a treat. Of course, Boyle and Hodge know this and it's not long before they have the audience eating out of their hands, wringing out every bit of suspense they can.
    The budget may be low but it doesn't matter because everything else is in place. It has tension in spades and effortlessly shifts from black comedy to dark thriller. It's reminiscent of early Coen Brothers and their achievements in "Blood Simple". Also like that film, it's so good on such a cheap budget that it's a crime in itself.
  • garyX
    February 8, 2011
    garyX
    Three friends let a room out to a stranger who drops dead leaving behind a suitcase full of cash, so they decide to bury him in the woods and keep the money. Danny Boyle's first film was promptly eclipsed by the follow up Trainspotting, but Shallow Grave is certainly worth a seco... read morend look. The format is kind of like watching Ross, Chandler and Monica dismembering a corpse and the breezy opening belies the grim psychology that takes over once they start to unravel. It's a morality tale about the cost of greed and shares themes with classic The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre as the relationship between the three friends disintegrates once money enters the equation. It's quite amusing how dated it looks now and the character development is not 100% convincing, but solid performances and a nice twist in the tale makes it a cut above the average thriller.
  • theunknownhobo
    January 20, 2011
    theunknownhobo
    Anyone who knew me when I was fifteen will probably tell you that my interest in Ewan McGregor bordered obsession and hence this movie is one in my collection, although I do not feel it is his strongest role by a long shot, it is definately one his most charming and entertaining ... read moreto watch. Carefully shot, although carelessly cast, I found myself torn between the characters. I could not warm to the female lead and I feel this shook the foundations of my enjoyment in this movie. It felt disjointed and quite random, but has one of the best endings of any film I have seen and for that it gets an extra half.
  • 76Majikat
    August 1, 2010
    76Majikat
    Danny Boyle's Directional Debut and first Director/Actor pairing with Ewan McGregor.

    Shallow Grave, the 90's Cult Classic is the ultimate test of friendship, loyalty, paranoia and greed.

    Eccleson's progression of character was interestingly sinister and the outcome can't he... read morelp but leave a little smile on your face.

    It is beginning to look a little dated now, but still a good watch and great to take a look at these stars as fresh faces.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    March 20, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Victory is the same as defeat. It's giving in to destructive competitive urges."

    Three friends discover their new flatmate dead but loaded with cash.

    REVIEW

    This kind of film-making is so rot... read moree now (see: that ferocious opening sprint through the streets of Edinburgh to a pounding Leftfield soundtrack), it's tricky to recall how new and exciting it all seemed at the time. But when this brilliant black comedy burst out of the traps in 1994, it almost single-handedly became the spearhead for a new kind of British movie-making. Which was ironic, really, because the film that introduced a young Obi-Wan and a future Dr Who to audiences actually owed rather more to the then burgeoning US indie scene: the likes of Hal Hartley, Joel and Ethan Coen, and, especially, a certain gabby video store clerk with a hotline to Harvey Keitel.

    For writer John Hodge, and producer Andrew MacDonald, movies should be tight. Funny. Quirky. With no boring bits. Former TV drama director Danny Boyle was the perfect chap to realise their vision, bringing a much-missed element of pure 'fun' (remember that?) to proceedings, along with a few directorial calling cards that would soon become instantly recognisable: hyper-kinetic camera-work and a near-hallucinogenic ambiance, sexy Tarantino-style violence, a hipster soundtrack... and suitcases full of money. Sound familiar?
  • ythelastman89
    November 18, 2009
    ythelastman89
    A great first attempt from Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor. It's a little more heartless than some of their other team ups, but still really enjoyable as a comedy-thriller. It has Danny Boyle's great style in it, which is always great to see.
  • SirPant
    September 16, 2009
    SirPant
    I liked Shallow Grave a lot when it came out but I saw it the other day and was disappointed. The acting is a bit questionable in places but it does have its fair share of thrilling moments and a great ending.
  • thmtsang
    January 31, 2009
    thmtsang
    Interesting movie about friends who discover their flatmate is dead and has a load of cash. What will they do?
  • arashxak
    September 3, 2008
    arashxak
    Vibrant & suspenseful, There are a few flaws but the movie has a great mood that you can totally forget about them, Not as great as Trainspotting & 28 Days Later but better than Boyle's other movies that I've seen I mean Sunshine, Millions & A Life Less Ordinary
  • kenstachnik
    June 4, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Strong directorial film debut by Danny Boyle makes the most of it's simple premise. 3 roommates, a bag of cash and a lot of paranoia spiral out of control.

View All Shallow Grave Reviews

Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer
February 13, 2001
Peter Rainer, Los Angeles Times

Class has its place, but some of us prefer our cut-'em-ups a little more lowdown. Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann
January 1, 2000
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

The three ... especially Fox--do well.

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Since no reasonable person can remotely hope to identity with Juliet, David or Alex, the whole case drops through. Full Review

John Hartl
January 1, 2000
John Hartl, Film.com

The situation is contrived, the relationships unlikely, the characters one-dimensional.

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Fox, McGregor and Eccleston merely mill around the screen like the kind of living-dead folks we usually see rising from the grave. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

A reasonably enjoyable (for those captivated by this sort of thing) black comedy/noir thriller. Full Review

Lucy Mohl
January 1, 2000
Lucy Mohl, Film.com

Boyle's cool manner and the performances ultimately ratchet Shallow Grave past the ranks of standard thriller fare.

Edward Guthmann
January 1, 2000
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

A tight little thriller, filled with exhilarating twists, that quickly establishes its artistic contract with the audience. Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

[The characters] become less and less interesting as the movie progresses. Full Review

Rob Gonsalves
September 23, 2007
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

At some point, ordinary human compassion must take up the slack. Boyle isn't a zippy enough director to make up for what's missing. No one is. Full Review

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)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Trainspotting
    Trainspotting (69%)
  • Very Bad Things
    Very Bad Things (76%)
  • Birthday Girl
    Birthday Girl (86%)
  • A Life Less Ordinary
    A Life Less Ordinary (62%)

More Movies like Shallow Grave

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Shallow Grave : Watch Free on TV

Shallow Grave Trivia

  • What was the first movie Danny Boyle, John Hodge, and Ewan McGregor worked on together?  Answer »
  • Ewan McGregor & Christopher Eccleston as 2 of 3 roommates involved in a murder & some cash?  Answer »
  • Who is the actor that dug a 'Shallow Grave', went 'Trainspotting', but is most known for his role in 'Star Wars' the prequals?  Answer »
  • Blue Juice Brassed Off Trainspotting Rogue Trader Star Wars Triliogy Shallow Grave Little Voice Moulin Rouge ....who is the link?  Answer »
More Shallow Grave Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Shallow Grave to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

aipultertsmith Skin by aipultertsmith
9 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins