Bad Day for the Cut (2017)

Rating: 7/10

An Irish farmer living in the countryside with his mother has his life turned upside down when she's murdered during a home invasion. When some hired goons show up the following night to finish him off, his quest for answers and revenge begins.

I discovered this film while endlessly searching Netflix during a long coach journey. Have you ever had that moment of indecisiveness where everything just sounds unappealing? I was moments away from watching Django for the 16th time when I discovered this film, I decided to give it a go, and I'm so glad I did. This is a fine addition to the revenge genre and somehow feels refreshing. We explore some complex themes. People being unable to let go of the past and thus contributing to a never-ending cycle of torment, children seeing their parents as angelic beings that can do no wrong, and the true complexity of parenthood. The latter might be my favorite. It's a real tragedy to see people become parents if that's not truly what their heart desires, and it makes for a fantastic thematic arc in this gritty thriller.

A Bad Day for the Cut is taut with tension. The story gives you little pieces that satisfy your hunger for answers but constantly leave you with more questions. It's writing that is done right and translated into a movie beautifully. We don't get the full story until the very end, when everything starts to slot into place. The filmmaker then asks us questions about where we think the story will go. I love these types of endings. That's the most magnificent part of storytelling. Each of us will take something different, and the film captures this so well.

Something that makes the film so fresh is that we spend time with underrepresented characters. An elderly Irish man, a polish sidekick, and a female mob boss. This was such a great choice, and I really loved spending time with them and getting to know them. I've always found it so odd that there are so many polish communities in the UK, and we don't often have a chance to see them on screen unless it's your casual stereotype, of course. So thank you Chris Baugh. I wouldn't class this film as a comedy, but there are definitely some dark comedic relief moments that allow us to have a breather within the gun-slinging cat and mouse that's going on.

Conclusion

After discovering that this film was made on a £250,000 budget, I only love and respect it even more. It’s truly a hidden gem that deserves to be celebrated. If you fancy something in the way of an independent revenge flick that isn’t overly packed with gore, look no further. It’s definitely put Chris Baugh on my radar, and I’ll definitely check out his latest film, Boys From The County Hell.