The Killing of Two Lovers at Curzon Home Cinema & Curzon Cinemas

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Curzon

4 — 17 June 2021 Tickets from £9.99 — Book now

Robert Machoian’s new film lays its cards out early. Firstly, there’s that title, which hangs heavy over proceedings — calling a film The Killing of Two Lovers provides audiences with certain narrative expectations. Then, there’s the opening scene, in which David, the protagonist, points a pistol at the head of his sleeping wife, before the sound of a flushing toilet spooks him and he escapes out of the window.

But this is a quieter, weirder and more surprising film than is immediately apparent. Living in rural Utah, David is estranged from his wife Nikki (Sepideh Moafi) and living with his father. The couple are trying to make things work for the sake of their four kids, but a scheduled date night devolves into an awkward drive around the block and Nikki is already seeing somebody else.

A stocky man with unkempt hair and a bushy, scraggly beard, the film follows David with extended takes as he works odd jobs and desperately tries to connect with his wife and children. Occasionally he takes out his anger on an old boxing dummy. A discordant soundtrack of ominous notes and metallic clanging accompanies everything, matching the landscape, which is stark and cold, punctuated only by a mountain on the horizon.

At 84-minutes, The Killing of Two Lovers sketches its characters efficiently, building in scenes of bleak human comedy — Avery Pizzuto is a highlight as David and Nikki’s teen daughter — as it fizzes with violent tension that is often stilted or strangely curtailed. While the film can sometimes lapse into moments of hyper-serious-indie-film cliche, there are enough unexpected turns to leave audiences with something to chew on.

4 — 17 June 2021 Tickets from £9.99 Book now

Where to go near The Killing of Two Lovers at Curzon Home Cinema & Curzon Cinemas

Carden Park
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Carden Park

Huge luxury estate, featuring high-end restaurant, beautiful rooms, a fully-packed spa and much more.

We sell comics, graphic novels, manga, role playing games, board games, collectible card games, merchandise, apparel and much more besides!
Leeds
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Travelling Man Leeds

A quirky little shop for comics, graphic novels, role-playing and board games, with frequent in-store events.

Further North
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Further North

Kind of like your front room, but with better beers and no television, Further North was one of the first microbars to open in Leeds and remains a staple today.

Wax Bar
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Wax Bar and JukeJoint

The Wax Bar and JukeJoint is a trendy, funky new bar with an old school theme running right through the middle from the Americana jukebox, to the vinyl records and player, old-style radio, 1980s ghetto blasters acting, quite effectively, as bar shelves and the lampshades on the walls that have been made out of classic cassette tapes.

House of Fu Leeds
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House of Fu Leeds

A Japanese-inspired restaurant speciaising in ramen and handmade dumplings, with a karaoke cocktail bar and lounge upstairs.

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Newly opened cakery in Stevensons Square, Northern Quarter Manchester. Get Baked brings all the Yorkshire charm and sweetness one of the city’s most popular squares.

Discover Lotherton, a country estate, historic hall and Wildlife World zoo. Our Edwardian estate is truly a great place for a family day out, with plenty to keep children and grown ups entertained! The expansive grounds and gardens are lovely walking spots, with or without four-legged companions. Each season brings new surprises including wild garlic in the spring, a sea of colourful blooms in summer in the formal gardens and stunning autumnal colours later on in the year. We have two playgrounds which means there's plenty of space for running about and letting off steam, with zip wires for older children to enjoy. Our evolving zoo, Wildlife World, is a real highlight of any visit and we'd highly recommend popping by to see the Humboldt penguins splash and swim in their pool. Other colourful characters include Arthur the tapir, our resident porcupines and a flamboyance of pink flamingos. Stop in at the shop on your way to pick up your very own version of one of our Lotherton
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Lotherton Hall and Estate

A truly great place for a family day out, discover Lotherton, a country estate, historic hall and Wildlife World Zoo.

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