We’ve covered “Peacock” a few times now, but if your memory needs refreshing Cillian Murphy plays John Skillpa, a quiet Nebraskan bank clerk with dual personalities (one male, one female) whose secret is exposed when a train crashes into his backyard. Now he must convince Peacock, Nebraska his split personalities are a true to life married couple. It sounds a little goofy, we know. Ellen Page co-stars as a “young mother” named Maggie, who carries devastating information relating to Skillpa.
It’s of course too late for this bird to fly in theaters, finding itself going directly to DVD on April 20th via Lionsgate Home Entertainment. It could be a huge mistake keeping “Peacock” from wide release, but the latest clip to hit the web doesn’t bolster any spirits. Murphy appears to be trying some interesting things, and looks strung out as hell, but overall the scene looks flat. What we glimpse of the other actors isn’t particularly flattering, either.
We’ve tried holding our breath on this one for far too long. Maybe some of us will get a surprising gem or two out of the discarded material. There’s always the chance of this earning a cult following. The comparisons to Hitchcock could be dead on and others are missing them. It’s all too doubtful, and we’re all too tired of fighting for it. We do wish it the best of luck, though.
“Peacock” was written by newcomers Michael Lander and Ryan Roy. Lander also directs. Co-starring are Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman and Josh Lucas. -Eric T. Voigt
It looks pretty intense for what sounds like a sitcom plot, and I hardly recognize Murphy (although Page still looks like Juno, as always). They should market this with JUST these enigmatic clips, and never give away that ridiculous-sounding plot premise.
I don't know whether it's in the shooting, the acting, or the editing, but you're right, that freakout cast-everything-to-the-floor scene is pretty feeble.
Y'know… if they had played it as a black comedy, it might work. The punchline would be that everyone in town knew about Emma all along, and they were just looking out for feeble-minded John. (Look: everyone in a small town knows everything about everybody: if you're putting on a dress to hang out your laundry– which would have to include women's clothing, then, too– someone is going to see.) It's just a little too hard to say "Socially inept bank clerk tries to save his maybe-baby-mama from his insanely jealous female alter-ego" with a straight face.