Some people assume I am good at detecting the anger inside of individuals because of my yoga background. While that certainly has helped me in recognizing the tension and anger someone may carry, the larger reason I can spot anger is because I have had an intimate relationship with it. I am not talking about spats, conflicts or disagreements; I am referring to that deep anger that boils inside, always on the verge of flaring up with any little spark. It is the type that is so out of proportion to the situation that bystanders stare in disbelief as you look like a cross between a paper shredder and volcano. I can remember how my anger would invade my brain, pushing everything aside into a single room as if it were being held prisoner. The anger and frustration would tense my body into stiffness. Luckily the release valve to my anger used a verbal route instead of a physical one. Though when I was younger, if something did not work the way I wanted it to, I would beat it apart to teach it a lesson. Yes I know it was stupid, but I did not know better at the time. I do not think anger ever leaves a person; at least I know it is still inside of me. The difference being it shares a space with my other emotions, willing now to work together with them. What worked for me may not work for someone else; each person has to find their own path in dealing with their anger.    JOSEPH, played by Peter Mullan (War Horse, Trainspotting), was unemployed, frustrated and angry all the time; he was a time bomb without a fuse. Hannah, played by Olivia Collman (The Iron Lady, Hot Fuzz), was a Christian woman who felt she could save him through prayer. But who would save Hannah? This film festival winning drama was an incredibly intense viewing experience. There was some strong language, though I had a hard time understanding Joseph’s accent. Their acting was beautiful which may seem like an odd choice of adjective to use; but I loved their dynamics along with Eddie Marson (Sherlock Holmes franchise, God’s Pocket), who played Hannah’s husband James. I thought the story and script were dynamite, both figuratively and literally. There was never a moment where I was not either washed over by various emotions or feeling on edge with the intensity of the scene. This DVD was a total surprise to me; in fact, afterwards when I looked online to see if this picture had received any recognition, I could not get over the long list of accolades. It is funny how this movie that dealt with anger could make me glad I saw it. A few scenes had blood and violence in them.

3 1/2 stars — DVD