Patient Seven: Hmm …

28th August, 2018.

*Spoilers*

Yep: it’s officially official.

I’ve had another day off.

As I write, I’ve some music on in the background.

Japan’s famed Tin Drum album.

Which may not be for everyone, I admit.

But frankly?

I like it.

Although I’m curious to know why a band call Japan produced tracks like Cantonese Boy or Visions of China.

Totally different country.

At any rate … another day … another dollar …



And another movie.

~≈§≈~

You’ve possibly worked out I like a film or two, haven’t you … ?

Possibly, he said!

At any rate, I like a film or two.

And occasionally?

Get recommendations.

Including from an old friend, Faye.

She’s managed another on, today.

The Danny Draven directed, anthology film that is … Patient Seven.

~≈§≈~

Set in a fictional mental hospital, Patient Seven introduces us to Dr Marcus (Micheal Ironside) interviewing six patients: to hear their version of why they’ve been hospitalised.

They go from a woman claiming her mother was seeing demons … to a little girl wanting to buy a shovel, to bury her best friend … to a man hired a killer to rid the world of vampires.

What we don’t realise, until the end of the film?

Is that Dr Marcus … 

Is the seventh patient of the title: hallucinating his fellow patients stories, after being institutionalised for 30, after — apparently — killing his mother.

And claiming she’d been eaten by zombies.

~≈§≈~

Now … 

Faye, bless ’er, usually manages to recommend an interesting movie or two.

And, whilst Patient Seven isn’t the best of films*?

It is worth watching†: it is, after all, an entertaining piece whose central conceit — a mental health worker who turns out to be madder than his fellow patients — is entertaining.

Patient Seven is — as I think I mention in the intro — a fun watch.

But … 

Patient Seven

★☆☆☆

*       Frankly, James McAvoy gave a better performance in Split, than Michael Ironside in Patient Seven.   Countering that?   Ironside is pretty damn good as the unconventional psychiatrist he’s claiming to be.

†        I’ve not seen all of his work.   But I’ve seen a few Noel Clarke penned, produced/directed, written films.   He doesn’t make great art.   He does make bloody good, entertaining, watchable movies that are worth seeing.   In that sense, Patient Seven is a Noel Clarke film.   Not necessarily great art.   But perfectly acceptable entertainment.   And watchable entertainment at that, for all I’ve given it one star.