Jim Sturgess Fan

Jim’s horror movie, Heartless, premieres on Sitges Film Festival and it receives some positive criticism.
Here are some reviews:

From Fangoria.com

Sitges ‘09: My Sitges Story – Part 5
Tony Timpone

Ridley has never branched out from his cult identity, but that may all change with his new commercial chiller HEARTLESS. I went into this film largely blind, which may be the best way to appreciate all the film’s terrifying surprises. 21’s Jim Sturgess (an gut-wrenching and emotional performance) stars as a photographer in East London whose hellish existence (he has a horrible birthmark on his face and lives in a city of urban blight) gets even more hellish when he encounters real demonic horror. Let’s leave the plot synopsis there so you can discover the film’s dark pleasures on your own. Ridley later tells me that the film has not nailed a U.S. distrib yet, but don’t expect that to last for long.

From Twich Film

Ridley’s cast play a large part in the success of his eclectic approach; the supporting lineup of experienced British character actors turn in sterling work (Timothy Spall and writer/director Noel Clarke (Kidulthood, Adulthood) among them) but Jim Sturgess is phenomenal in the lead role. Jamie has several key dramatic setpieces which could so easily have collapsed into saccharine tedium; he dreams another, ‘normal’ Jamie lives a successful life in an alternate reality; he doubts his self-worth, his ability to make friends, have relationships.

Yet Sturgess imbues these moments with an honesty that is nothing short of devastating. A quiet conversation with his mother where (like any caring parent) she assures her son he is a wonderful person who’s going to find that person who will love him for who he is inside is heartbreaking for all its obvious simplicity. A later monologue where he doubts this is similarly effective. One key scene shortly after the central demonic bargain has been struck switches from queasy (yet very funny) comedy to nerve-shredding horror with dizzying speed, yet it’s Sturgess’ performance as much as Ridley’s direction that means such genre-hopping never falters.

To reiterate – that horror is horrific.

Can’t wait to see the movie myself!!