10 Best British Movies Of 2017
6. The Limehouse Golem
The Limehouse Golem flitted in and out of British cinemas rather briefly this year, grossing less than £2million at the UK box office. That did the film, written by Kick-Ass scribe Jane Goldman, a real disservice. It's a lurid and flamboyant tale of murder set amid the colourful cacophony of cabaret, with a surprisingly gory approach to violence.
Bill Nighy plays the central role of Inspector John Kildare, which is a part that was originally earmarked for Alan Rickman prior to his death in 2016. He is assigned the case of a serial killer, dubbed the "Limehouse Golem", whose crime scenes resemble grisly performance pieces. This brings Kildare into the world of cabaret, where he meets Douglas Booth's drag-wearing megastar and Olivia Cooke – a young ingenue set to face trial for the murder of her husband.
There's a great deal of depth to The Limehouse Golem, which uses the glitz and glamour of music hall to shine a spotlight on society's grim obsession with murder. Its juxtaposition of moral ugliness and showbiz euphoria is reminiscent of Chicago and Goldman brings just enough nastiness that the crimes pack a horror-inflected punch.