The Gritty Undertow of Yorkshire

Alright, folks. Roll up your sleeves and brace yourselves because “Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974” is a proper gritty ride. I mean, it’s like trying to walk through a mire with your Sunday best on, only to find out it’s quicksand. Directed by Julian Jarrold, this film plunges you into the dark, grimy heart of Yorkshire in the 70s—a world so real you can almost smell the soot in the air.

Andrew Garfield, you know, that lad from “The Social Network,” plays Eddy Dunford, a journalist poking around where he shouldn’t. He wears the role like an old jumper you find at the back of your wardrobe, forgotten but cozy. There’s something in the way his fringe falls in his eyes when he’s deep in thought. Reminds me of my cousin Lars when he tried to fix his bike chain while balancing on one leg and nearly fell into our lakehouse one summer. But, let’s not digress!

And then you’ve got Sean Bean, that legendary bloke who always seems to find himself in trouble on screen. Here, he’s John Dawson, a real estate tycoon with more secrets than your grandmother’s recipe book. The tension between him and Garfield? Electric. But not like that static shock you get when you rub a balloon, more like lightning in a bottle.

Now, the film’s got this haunting vibe, thanks, partly, to its moody cinematography. It captures the bleakness of the time, right down to the damp wallpapers and dimly-lit pubs. It’s quite nostalgic, if, like me, you spent your youth exploring Swedish forests half expecting to find a mystery in every nook.

Honestly, there are bits that feel like you’re paddling against the current, with plot twists tying themselves in knots. Maybe that’s the point, though? To make you feel as lost as Dunford does? I can’t quite pin it down.

So, if you’ve got a thing for noirish tales dressed in bell-bottomed trousers, this one’s for you. Just don’t expect it to be polite. This film’s more like a strong coffee at 6am after a night out. It wakes you up, leaves you buzzing, and maybe makes you question your life choices, just a bit.

Check the trailer below