The Radleys
Vampiric horror dramedy has plenty of blood coursing through its veins and enough teeth to carry the day.
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The family that slays together stays together in “The Radleys” (in select theaters and on VOD beginning Friday, Oct. 4), a horror dramedy adapted from a YA novel by Matt Haig with a decidedly more adult spin by frequent “Doctor Who” helmer Euros Lyn and scribes Jo Brand (“Getting On”) and newcomer Talitha Stevenson.
The Radleys are a seemingly normal family living in the English countryside. Patriarch Peter (Damian Lewis) is a physician and matriarch Helen (Kelly Macdonald) is a homemaker. They have a popular daughter Clara (Bo Bragason) and an outcast son Rowan (Harry Baxendale).
Peter and Helen are keeping a secret from their children and the community at large – they’re vampires and so are their progeny. They’ve been in recovery for quite some time, but a familial relapse rears its ugly head when Clara is attacked by classmate Stuart Harper (Freddie Wise) at a rural kegger. Clara justifiably defends herself, instincts naturally kick in and she begins to feed.
Peter and Helen summon Peter’s estranged, twin brother Will (also Lewis) to aid them in cleaning up Clara’s mess. Complicating matters are the ex-police officer/vampire hunter Jared Copeleigh (Shaun Parkes) next door and his son Evan (Jay Lycurgo) on whom Clara and Rowan are both crushing.
“The Radleys” uses vampirism as a metaphor for all sorts of stuff – fidelity, sexual identity, sobriety – and most of it lands. I found it to be freaky, funny and moving. Its strongest attribute is the dual performance from Lewis, an accomplished actor best known for his work on pay cable fare such as “Band of Brothers,” “Homeland” and “Billions.” Lewis excels as both the buttoned-down Peter and wild child Will and the juxtaposition between the two characters proves to be an interesting one.
Lewis is strongly supported by Macdonald, Bragason and Baxendale as the other members of the Radley clan. It’s especially nice to see Macdonald – of whom I’m a fan and haven’t seen much since the conclusion of “Boardwalk Empire” – and she gets some fascinating notes to play.
“The Radleys” overstays its welcome at 115 minutes and likely would’ve played better at 95, but there’s still plenty of blood coursing through its veins and enough teeth to carry the day.