Reviews tagging 'Violence'

El hombre almohada by Martin McDonagh

11 reviews

angrybookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another close to perfect read. I really loved this play and hope to get to produce it or work on it soon. There were a lot of things in this script that seemed like they weren't relevant to the story, but those things do get answered in the end. Some of those things, I heard got changed in an updated version of the script, and I'm glad they did. I did not like the idea of seeing the little girl at the end or the scene where there would have been a little girl being treated that way on stage. Reading it is one thing, but this is a play that has been and continues to be produced and that should be taken into account when thinking about these things. Writing that something terrible happens to a child is one thing, writing a script that would require a child to act out something terrible on stage is quite another. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

There is mistreatment or implied mistreatment of a person with a mental disability and the implication that the mental disability caused that person to harm others

patchworkjester's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Favourite modern play I've read thus far- shame I couldn't see it performed! It truly seems like a once in a lifetime experience and even just reading it is a truly harrowing experience. While it definitely isn't for the feint of heart, it's something I would highly recommend to people who enjoy dark and twisted stories that mess with your mind a bit along the way.

While the actual murders are never explicitly described, rather being told through the in-universe short stories that inspired them, even just the implications snapping into place is a mortifying feeling. The twist near the end, too, is simultaneously shocking and fantastically set up in prior scenes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, Suicide, and Blood

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Incest, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury

piepatch's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

lief_'s review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcoholism

milesjmoran's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

zeasea's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, and Violence

laurenjane's review against another edition

challenging dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault

burgundy_fairy's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

giulianac27's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

belle23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, and Police brutality

Minor: Sexual violence