Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis, C.J. Wilson, Polly Draper, Malachy Cleary, Debra Monk, Heather Lind, Wass Stevens, Blaire Brooks, Gregory Haney.

Grief is a peculiar beast; it affects people in different ways. Some will look at it as a time of reflection, some will plough themselves into their work till they become ill and others will find themselves finding a very different approach to dealing with the hurt, pain and absolute heartache of losing someone they love. The heart will grieve regardless and it is the moment of final deconstruction that most will come through the other side and find a reason to smile again.

Demolition sees Davis, a high flying executive with order and rigidity in his life, and his wife involved in a car accident and whilst he walks away without a scratch, the anguish of loss is enough to send him spiralling, not into a dark place but into rage. It is in the moment of being knocked down that devastation finds a way to bring you back to life and in life, and with the help of a customer care advisor, played by Naomi Watts, slowly finds a way to deal with that grief.

Whilst Jake Gyllenhaal will undoubtedly take, quite rightly, a lot of praise for his anguished and powerful performance as a man who finds he cannot feel the supposed correct emotions to deal with his grief, it is to Judah Lewis that film lights up the screen as troubled teen Chris; his frankness about his sexual frustrations and confusing attitude do the actor credit. It is not easy to pull off such openness but as the film progresses it is worthwhile focusing more attention to the young teen than seeing how Mr. Gyllenhaal finally triumphs over his own slide into anguish and pain.

There is no time limit on grief and there is no right or wrong way in which to show it, Demolition reminds the audience of that fact and if you tear your life apart, if you to swing a metaphorical hammer and trash the home, then if that leads you a position of recovery rather than ending up cold and untouchable, then so be it.

A very good film, one that captures the rawness of grief to its full potential and one that is potentially explosive; Demolition breaks down taboos that are finely tuned by other’s rigid stance on emotions.

Ian D. Hall