You won't be disappointed!

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The moment this film started I should have switched off, due to the cringe-worthy acting on display. I'm surprised there wasn't a little man in a prompter's box feeding the lines to the actors, it really was that reminiscent of amateur dramatics at the village hall. I sincerely hope none of these actors will include Candlestick in his or her CV as they all deliver shocking performances, complete with 2-second pauses before the next line is due.The premise doesn't really work either, mainly due to the fact that parts which are meant to be out of earshot of the other characters would never be out of earshot in a tiny London loft apartment like this (note to director/writer; loft apartments are ALL ONE SPACE - you can't just go upstairs and have a private conversation as the people in the living room ARE RIGHT BELOW YOU!) The behaviour of the characters is ridiculous, as is their way of talking to each other.Written as a 30-minute TV play by people who knew what they were doing (for instance, the team behind Inside No 9), this could have worked quite well. But stretched out over 82 minutes it has little to redeem it. Even the music is so reminiscent of Psycho that it had me humming that movie's signature theme long after I forgot the misery of sitting through this pile of refuse.As a final note, and to show how little care went into making this film, there is a tiny bit part at the end played by someone with an American accent in a role where the character would be extremely unlikely to have an American accent. It distracts the viewer from the final scene and only serves to put the final nail in the coffin of one of the worst films I've ever seen.

No one to like or root for--the main character is palpably, greasily unlikeable. So's the guy he's pulling a stunt on. The female is without any sex appeal whatsoever, in spite of over-applied over-red lipstick and flowing blonde hair--plus she's cheating on her poor slob of a husband. There's an irrelevant boor who swills down all the sherry and makes drunken comments. The "perfect murder"--which of course isn't perfect at all by the end of the film, but we knew that already--is a perfect bore. People sit around getting drunk and insulting each other and then having Moments, where everyone is silent and then drinks some more. And THEN! the bad guy brags the whole plot away, except he forgot one thing that exposes him at the end. He also manages to bludgeon someone at least six times without getting any blood anywhere.The musical score is aggressive, leaden, and overpowers the flimsy story. Like the director, it seems narcissistic and self-referential, i.e.,"look what I composed!"Don't bother with this movie unless you have some sort of crush on the director.

Director/Co-Writer Christopher Presswell has created cat and mouse game in the style of Alfred Hitchcock. It's a drawing room suspense film built around a handful of high quality actors and a malevolent conceit. The invitees to a small gathering are rocked by an accusation of infidelity, and the ensuing events play out with style. Both the shooting and the soundtrack have a classic clever suspense film feel.Also, Candlestick deliberately references the idea of board games both with the game played in the movie and the title itself, which hearkens back to Clue, the classic murder mystery game. I hope Presswell keeps working in the genre, making intelligent suspense films like this.

I'll start by saying that I may very well be partial to this films style in general. The trailer sucked me in from the very beginning. It's well shot, well acted and tightly directed. Given the genre they were playing in I was especially fond of the score as wellAs i'm sure many will tell you, any Clue (or murder mystery) fans will most definitely enjoy the ride. It's smart and well crafted. I'll be curious to see what other works the filmmakers have on hand or coming up. Give it a go and see what you think for yourself. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well.